I just got back from a week and a half vacation. It was much needed, but now that I'm back I can work more on writing. In addition to this chapter, I'm also uploading another chapter to Primordials Rising. It's going to be fun times all around!

I know that the first chapter seemed rather slow. But these first couple of chapters are much like what I did for Dark Fairies. Stuff that I feel is necessary so that the world makes sense and that character's goals are defined in a way that makes sense.

Taking the beginning chapters this slow also allows more opportunities for character development. Looking back at the prequel, that is the one thing I wish I could have done differently. Only a few characters got any sort of development, which is why I want to give more characters a chance to shine here.

On another note, I've finally decided to start that Self-insert fic that I had polled a long time ago. The working title I have for it right now is Blooming Iron. Be on the lookout for it, should be a fun little story.

Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail. I only own MY OCs.

Enjoy chapter 2 everyone!


Ever since Tiamat's departure, the world has never been the same. The Primordial Mother brought about our civilization from its youth. But in our foolishness, we assumed that we were able to stand on our sooner that we should have. In a way, we were nothing more than arrogant children. But it's too late to offer recompense for our actions. The later generations, our children, must suffer for the mistakes of their forebears. It is the only thing we wish we could change. For that, we offer a no deeper apology.

The old gods sided with her. The new gods, with us. When Tiamat and the old gods return, there shall be no stopping their combined rampage. We are nothing more than cockroaches playing with fire. Eventually, not even the structures we live in will survive the coming inferno.

~excerpt from a forgotten text.

Team Natsu didn't bother returning to the guild for the remainder of the day. Instead, it was decided that they would return to their respective homes to individually work through what happened. There were several things they needed to do and there wasn't much time for them to accomplish all of which they desired for the future.

Every single member of those who returned was an emotional wreck. The events of the Oración Seis battle-tested every one of them far more than what they could handle. Such emotional stress showed itself through the saddened and depressed mindsets that they all had. Every one of them tried to handle their own emotions separately from the others. Since trying to get through everything together just made the emotions worse.

(Natsu's house)

The wooden cabin out toward the edge of the Magnolia forest wasn't much in terms of the standards set inside the city. But Natsu and Happy felt that it was all they needed. It was a place they could decompress after a stressful day, a place to think of new ideas, tactics, and strategies. In a way, this was his private sanctum, away from the harsh reality that surrounded him. Where Natsu could be himself, and not worry about the opinions of those around him.

"I don't know what to do 'bout Erza." Natsu was pacing back and forth throughout the room, his wounds seemingly fully healed from when he was electrocuted back at Nirvana. Happy was only looking on with a thousand-yard stare. He was still traumatized about what happened at Worth Woodsea to even begin to try and utter even a simple "aye".

"I know I should have expected it to happen the moment she hesitated to respond when I explained my feelings." Happy finally found enough strength to speak.

"It's not your fault Natsu, it's not like you would have known anyway. Erza was always secretive about that stuff." Natsu couldn't handle the stress anymore and punched a hole through his wall. His anger about everything finally getting the better of him.

"It's not right!" He would yell. "Where did we go wrong? What did I do wrong?" The answers still eluded him. His mind was too clouded in anger, sadness, and regret. There was no use in thinking about it now. Natsu knew that to be true, but his inner desire to learn the truth about Erza's betrayal was worth, at least to him, the growing emotions. This was something he had to figure out. There had to be some reason as to why events played out as they had.

Something would come back to him, a memory of sorts. It was the throne room where the twins beat Laxus into submission.

Yes, everything was explained back then. The woman who sat on the throne claimed that Erza was her servant. She told him why they sacrificed themselves. She told both him and Gajeel. The same woman who appeared before him at Nirvana.

"They fight for and serve me without question. You would do well to remember this, Natsu Dragneel." Those were the words uttered that fateful moment. Now it would begin to make sense, but some things still didn't add up. Why would Erza serve that woman loyally? What caused her to willingly forgo the world she loved so much. And worst yet, why was there a desire with him to join her. Why did he still feel the same way about Erza that he used to? Even though the Erza he knew was gone.

"Hey Salamander!" He could hear Gajeel's voice outside. "Open up will 'ya?" He could talk with Gajeel about it, the two of them saw the same thing. Hopefully, they could come to the real truth about what happened.

Gajeel would force his way in, not bothering to wait for the door to open.

"Man, you look like crap. What Erza reject you or something?" That earned him a well-deserved blow to the back of his head.

"I wouldn't speak like that if you knew what happened." His tone was dark, a clear indication of his current mindset.

"Was it that bad?" Gajeel was beyond curious at this point. Natsu rarely got upset, and it seems that Titania was the cause this time around.

"Remember when Laxus tried to take over the guild?" Who couldn't forget that moment, the lightning mage had been banished as a result of his actions.

"She has come, E-" Natsu Tried to talk, but still found it difficult to say his mate's name. "Erza has betrayed us, all of us." Outside of the returning members, Gajeel was the first to learn about what happened. And his face paled upon finding out.

"No." He would say breathlessly. "No, it can't be!" Nothing else was said as Gajeel ran out of the house. He knew what was coming, and he was scared of the result.

(Lucy's apartment)

Recent events were stressful, so in an attempt to remove the built-up stress, Lucy decided that a bath would be more than sufficient.

"Is everything alright princess? Loke told us about what happened." Virgo summoned herself again, as she typically did.

"Oh, Virgo, Y-yeah everything is… fine." Lucy looked downtrodden, her emotions betraying her words. Ever since arriving back to Magnolia, there was something which haunted the spirit mage more than anything else.

Erza would speak volumes about the bonds of family. How fighting to protect what you cared about always made you stronger. But now that Erza had willingly betrayed them, was there still a reason to believe those words?

"If it's any consolation princess, all of us Celestial Spirits promise to stay by your side. Even those who were with Angel." Angel's spirits wanted to side with her? The contract they had should still have been in effect. What gave them the ability to side with her?

"Scorpio, Gemini, and Ares. Why are they wanting to contract with me? Shouldn't they…"

"Still be with her?" Virgo interrupted. "In a sense, they should be. But ever since that incident, all three of them lost their contacts for some reason."

This was cause for concern, contracts with Celestial Spirits lasted for life. Or at least it was supposed to be that way. There were a couple of scenarios in place to where a contract could be prematurely terminated.

"Scorpio and the other spirits think that it has something to do with Angel switching sides." Virgo would then disappear back to the spirit world. But this left Lucy with far more questions than answers. For example, why would Angel supposedly switching sides cause her to lose her contracts with her spirits?

Try as she might, it was impossible for her to think of anything else. Even as the sun began to set over the horizon, all Lucy could do was think about that question. But try as she might, the answer to it wouldn't come to her. So, she would continue to lay there, unable to find any rest.

(Gray's house)

The temperature was well below freezing, but it was not as a result of the air conditioner. Gray could be seen sitting on the couch, curled up into a fetal position. He had been this way for a couple of hours. Silently sitting in the same spot as time would continue to move around him. He couldn't move from that spot; he didn't want to. It simply hurt too much to consider it.

"I don't know what to do anymore." He told himself, guilt and uncertainty eating away at his conscience. "Where did we go wrong? Where did I go wrong?" There was a knock on the door, Gray didn't answer. He simply didn't have the willpower to get up.

On the other side of the door was Juvia. She had witnessed the emotional breakdown during the return. She had grown concerned over Gray's deteriorating mental state. Having been in a similar situation before, she was determined to make sure that such a fate didn't befall him.

Juvia didn't have anyone to lean on for support, no one to confide in. So she declared that she would be Gray's shoulder. She would listen to and console him. He could still be saved from a life of sadness. Just as he did for her, she would do for him.

"Gray, please open up." Juvia had to be as soft as possible. There was no telling if or when Gray would go into an emotional outburst. "Go away Juvia." She heard him, his voice was strained and tired. It was evident that he took this harder than he initially let on.

"Gray please, everyone is concerned about you. I'm concerned about you." Juvia would turn herself into water, before slipping underneath the bottom of the door. This was her chance, there was no turning back now.

Juvia would see a curled-up gray, silently brooding to himself on the sofa. There were a few tears that would sneak through and fall down the side of his face. Overall, Gray Fullbuster needed help and fast.

"Gray," Juvia was hesitant in making her way over. Being silent as to not draw his anger. "I was just like you. In the darkest depths of sadness and loneliness. Thinking myself nothing more than a gloomy rain woman." Gray wouldn't respond, so Juvia continued.

"There was a time where I thought everyone would stay away from me just because it rained when I was around. Who would want to be outside when it was raining?" This got the Ice-mage to stop crying, at least for the moment.

"During my time with Phantom Lord, I failed to see the sun. I was too trapped within that mindset." Juvia would then bring Gray into a hug. "But then a certain Ice-mage broke into the prison I built for myself. He let me see the sun for the first time in years." The two would stay like that for a couple of hours. No one wanting to break the moment.

"Gray, I didn't have anyone to support me. You have all of Fairy Tail behind you. Don't fall into the same mindset that I did." Juvia would then get up, thinking she did enough to cheer him up.

"Remember Gray, I'm always here for you if you need it. You'll never be alone, I promise you."

Unbeknownst to her. As Juvia left the house, the air temperature would begin to warm up a little.

(Magnolia)

Wendy was walking through the city streets, her feet taking her in a direction not even she knew. Although she was careful as to not accidentally walk into anyone, her mind was a place completely different. The world had been cruel to her on multiple occasions, it took her dragon away from her. It forced her to fight a guild far too experienced than she was. It even forced her to betray those she thought she could consider friends.

In a way, Wendy Marvell was homeless. Cait Shelter had disbanded after Nirvana self-destructed. Fairy Tail, nor any of the other Light guilds were unlikely to wish she'd stay. Carla had done nothing but nag on her the entire trip back to magnolia. Wendy knew there was a stigma around her. One that consisted of loneliness and betrayal.

What was left for her in the world?

When her eyes would let her see what was in front of her again, Wendy found herself in the park. Nothing seemed unusual, save for a familiar head of Scarlet-red hair sitting peacefully on one of the many benches. It was someone she knew all too well.

Erza Scarlet.

Something seemed off about her, but it was hard to say what it was with any degree of certainty.

"I heard about what my brother put you through Wendy." Erza's voice was silvery, yet also comforting. "He wanted to apologize for his actions, as do I for my own." Erza would offer the sky dragon a seat next to her. One which Wendy hesitantly accepted.

"Erza, am I… what's wrong with me? Why do I keep finding myself in terrible situations?" Erza would look on in concern.

"Wendy," Erza would reply. "Nothing is wrong with you. Don't even begin to think like that. Grandine chose you to be her student because she knew you had strength." Erza would then take the younger mage and bring her into an embrace.

"I know you have a lot of potential within you Wendy, you made that clear to all of us." Wendy went wide-eyed, not wanting to remember what Erza was referring to. "But… I"

"I understand what happened." Erza interrupted her. Her voice was calm, almost motherly in a sense. "You thought what you did was right at the time." Erza would hold her tighter, not wanting the young sky maiden to feel any ounce of guilt.

"I don't blame you for what happened in the past Wendy, I never did. All I ask is that you continue to look at the future in front of you." Erza would start rubbing Wendy as a mother would her child after waking from a nightmare. "That's how I was able to last for as long as I had without Eren beside me."

"Eren," Wendy tried to ask. "was he…?"

My twin brother? Yes, the two of us are siblings born from the same will. Irene may be our mother by birth, but she is just like us. Servants to our true mother. He and I were gifted with magics unique to only us. I could manipulate the will of objects, that's how we managed to successfully rebel at the Tower of Heaven. Afterward, I swore to never use it again." Erza would release Wendy soon after. But still, the bluenette held onto her arm.

"Eren, on the other hand, could manipulate people's wills. Make them desire something they otherwise wouldn't." Wendy would then let go of her grip. Deciding that she heard enough for the time being. Her questions had been answered, but she didn't feel any better as a result.

"Wendy!" Erza would call out, getting her to stop for a brief moment. "No matter what happens with Fairy Tail, know that we'll provide a home for you. You won't suffer a betrayal ever again, I promise you." She had a warm smile, which would have drawn Wendy in had she been in a different mindset.

Wendy would continue walking. Not before saying one last thing.

"Give me some time to think."


Some of you are probably wondering why Gray could go from motivational last chapter to downright depressed this chapter. There is a reason behind this. Emotional masks only last but for so long. Eventually, they will break, and when they do. The emotions which were hidden behind the mask show themselves.

If you haven't noticed by now, Erza is acting OOC. This is intentional as I wanted her to show a different side than what we saw in the anime. But I also wanted Erza to be… well, Erza.

I know that this is pretty much all but confirmed. This is a Natza fanfic, but I wouldn't call it a typical one. How many stories have you read where Natsu and Erza are on opposing sides of a conflict? I would like to say a few. But that's just my opinion.

In terms of other ships, there will be a few NaLu moments, some Gruvia, among others.

I know that I've pretty much been going with Eren and Emily. But as if right now… I'm heavily debating on whether I should go with Eren and Sorano instead. What do you think?

I'm going to stop myself from rambling too much. I hope you all have a wonderful day, and I'll see you in the next update!