Three radiant white stars shone in the endless midnight sky.

An oppressive blanket that weighed heavy on what was left of his soul. Only fragments of that tattered soul remained, clinging to him in their desperation to keep him from falling entirely into the yawning abyss. Surely he was a lost cause? No matter how many times he tried to convince himself that was the truth, he was met with resistance. A resistance that he could put no name to, simply an unwavering belief that he could be saved, redeemed and brought back into the light.

The presence of the stars mocked him, twisting his thoughts until he could scream from the ire that burned through his veins leaving nothing but smoking ash and char. The ground came up to meet him; the impact on his knees slamming into the frozen dirt was the only noise in the otherwise silent night, like a lone gunshot that reverberated outwards and sent the birds from their branches.

He felt no pain, he couldn't recall the last time he had felt true physical pain. Emotional and mental anguish, that was his pain, a steady constant that served as a reminder that he was indeed still alive within this world. Raven hair fell like a curtain, obscuring his pained expression and hiding the stream of tears that flowed from his eyes and fell to the frost covered ground.

The still air was disturbed by the intense emotions that poured from the fallen male. A storm brewed, ignited by the wash of misery that burst forth from his form. Nature listened to his grief, echoed his lament and set the winds to dance across the land. He was oblivious to the lightning that struck the ground and the rumble of thunder that followed.

What had brought him to this place? He had sworn never to return until his goal was accomplished until he brought back the love that had once surrounded this land. The landscape had altered, it was only natural after the centuries that had passed. The small farmland that had sat nestled and protected within this valley had given way to scrubland. The little stone house had decayed into an abandoned relic and eventually crumbled into dust. Nothing remained of his past, no hint of the lives that had once flourished in this little piece of sanctity.

The worst of it was that he had not even realised where he stood until it was too late. His feet had been drawn to this exact location, and no warning bells had sounded until it was far too late to avoid his fate. It was alarming how things could look both exactly as they had but also completely different. Something had called him to this spot, but he was in no fit state to pay that notion any mind.

How long he stayed on his knees, he did not know. It could have been mere minutes or hours that he was lost within that swell of grief. Moments like these always took him by surprise, made him acknowledge that he had not mastered his mind as he had believed and that he would likely be plagued with these feelings for all eternity.

The male dared to glance heavenward, eyeing those twinkling stars that caused him so much turmoil, and he frowned. A long-buried memory slipped past his mental defences, and a thought bubbled to the surface.

Hadn't those stars once been grouped together?

Where once the trio of stars had sat as a huddled triangle, they now spread outwards across the inky night. He was rocked forwards from the thundering in his heart, an organ that continued to beat despite his condition and he sobbed from it. It only reminded him of what he had lost, and what he worked tirelessly to bring back.

He hadn't always been like this. He was a shell of his former self, a mere hollow body that walked and talked but did not truly live. His eyes drifted closed; he was a shuddering mass that would resemble an unfortunate traveller fallen victim to the cruel weather that whipped around him. Far from the truth, but he could not find the will to care as memories assaulted him from all sides until he was entirely vacant.

~.~

The sun was warm and comforting on his skin. A gentle breeze swept through the long grass and he could hear the laughter that made his heart soar. The tinkling sound of a little boy that clearly did not understand the concept of trying to stay quiet and hidden.

"Brawd, I can still hear you," he yelled, his swift tongue switching seamlessly between Welsh and English. The tinkling laughter dimmed, and he could see his little brother with his hand tightly clasped to his mouth in his mind's eye.

He should be searching for the little scamp but his gaze lingered on the view from the fence surrounding their small home. The grass was lush, the perfect grazing grounds for their small herd of cattle and the ground was fertile for the vegetables they grew and sold on. Perched on the ramshackle fence that would bear his weight, but not an ounce more, he watched the breeze sweep through the valley and ruffle the surrounding trees.

How he loved this place, this hidden treasure that barely anyone was aware of outside his small family. The sun would rise in the east, heralding the start of a new day as it filled the room he shared with his younger brother with warming orange light and set in the west behind the trees that surrounded their tiny piece of farmland.

True the weather was not always like it was on days like this one. There were times when it felt like the rain would simply never cease as it lashed at the windows and fell through the small holes in their patched kitchen roof, but that only allowed for more time to read and conjure fantastical worlds for him and his brother to explore endlessly before being tucked up in bed.

The cold never truly bothered them, on the winter nights when little toes would freeze from the draft that blew through their creaky windows, one would always end up in the bed of the other. Seeking out solace and heat in brotherly embraces that led them into shared dreams, dreams they would discuss for hours over the breakfast table the next morning.

The nearest named village to their secluded home was that of Crumlin, and even those villagers would struggle to find this place without the aid of a crudely drawn map. Their school mistress always welcomed them with a shake of her head as they appeared out of the trees. Miss Evans called the brothers, her little Welsh pixies for the way she could hear their gleeful laughter ringing from the trees before she saw them. They certainly lived up to that name, their mischief knew no bounds.

"Brawd Mawr!" the whining words tore him from his reverie, and he wondered how long he had been captured within his daydreaming, clearly too long.

There came an urgent tugging on the sleeve of his tunic, and he came face to face with the small round face of his baby brother. His cheeks were puffed and rosy in colour, he loved to poke at those cheeks and see if he would pop but there always came the risk that the imp would simply gnash his teeth and bite him. Despite his young age, his teeth were already dangerously sharp, especially the elongated canines that both boys had inherited from their father. He had been on the receiving end of that murderous little mouth on far too many occasions.

"Zeref, you promised," he whispered mournfully. His brother's large onyx eyes shone with the start of tears, and his mouth tugged down in the corners. He had to act quickly or things may dissolve into full-blown tears and tantrums, attracting the wrath of their mother. He had no wish to be made to shovel cow droppings until his back ached and he reeked from the overwhelming stench.

Zeref jumped from his perch and locked his arms around his brother's back under his own arms. Once secured he began to swing in wild circles until his little legs trailed behind in the air, and joyous laughter once again filled the air.

"Sorry Natsu," he puffed, never halting the ever-increasing and erratic circles he paved across the garden. Natsu's soft pink hair rippled merrily in the wind, waving wildly and catching the early afternoon sun to create a halo effect around his head. Zeref's head swam from the dizziness, and he dreaded to think how his brother felt.

He should really stop, but it was just too much fun.

"Zeref Dragneel, put your brawd down this instance!" came the fierce call from the doorway. He halted immediately, swaying dangerously as he gently plopped Natsu back to the earth and watched him wobble from side to side like he had seen those men that had drunk too much ale do.

Natsu tottered around on his unsteady feet, his once rosy cheeks now ashen as he moved closer and closer to where their mother's washing hung out to dry. Zeref could see what was about to unfold, frozen in his horror and unable to prevent it.

The little boy staggered into the white bedsheets that fluttered in the wind, becoming tangled and twisted until he pulled it free and collapsed to the ground. The sound of retching was like a knife to his own stomach, not because he felt particularly bad for his brother, no, it was more from the terror of what was still to come.

"Diawl bach!" the angry screech rent the air as Natsu crawled from the once pristine white bedsheet now muddy from the damp ground and streaked with vomit. He wiped at his mouth with the back of his hand and turned wide-eyed to see their mother flying towards them in a rage, the skirt of her dress gathered in one tight fist as the other shot out to grab at the pair of them.

Zeref bolted.

Legs pumping as he gathered speed and reached Natsu before their mother could take a grip of him. He clasped at his small hand and tugged, the two brothers flew out of her reach. "Keep running Natsu, don't stop!" They jumped the small fence, Zeref only halting for a moment to help Natsu clear the rickety post and they continued to sprint until they broke into the line of trees.

They could hear the continued cursing of their mother. The calls for them to return immediately and face their punishment like men, but they were no men. They were simply boys and had no intention of returning until the withering of the daylight became more fearful than that of their mother.

The Dragneel boys had gone to bed that night with empty bellies and very red bottoms. Had they learned their lesson?

Of course not.

~.~

Zeref Dragneel was frozen in place, just like he had been when he had known that Natsu would throw up and bring the wrath of their mother upon their heads. He stared blankly at the back of his hand, frost had gathered there and left an intricate spiderweb design on his skin. Another memory from an earlier time rose to the surface, unwelcome but it refused to be halted.

The raven haired male's suffering would know no end.

~.~

"Zewef, I'm scared," Natsu whispered in the dark of the night. Zeref was tugged to consciousness from the fear that laced his brother's voice. It squeezed at his heart as he rolled over to find the small pink haired scamp standing by his bed tugging on the thin and patched covers.

He scooted back and held the cover aloft to allow for Natsu to crawl in beside him. The boy burrowed his head into the crook of Zeref's neck, his fingers sinking into his long nightshirt and clutching him tightly. The elder Dragneel welcomed the embrace, arms moving to encircle his precious brother whilst his soft hair tickled at his cheeks.

"Bad dreams?" he asked quietly.

For a moment it seemed as if Natsu would not answer, and he wondered if the little boy had already drifted back off to sleep now that he had the comfort of Zeref's presence pressed against his small body. It wasn't the first time, and it certainly wouldn't be the last time that the little pink haired lad had leached comfort and warmth from his older brother in the middle of the night.

Zeref was always willing to share these things with Natsu, he loved him in a way that he could not quite describe at such a young age. All that he did know, was that there wasn't a thing in this world that he wouldn't do to make Natsu happy. Even when those things came with the price of a sore behind or stern words from their father.

Natsu was simply his world; his mere presence shone like the brightest beacon on a fog-filled night, and he thanked his parents endlessly for what he considered to be the greatest gift he could ever hope to receive.

"No," Natsu mumbled into Zeref's chest which made the boy laugh as his voice vibrated against him. Zeref gave him a nudge, glancing down to find large worry-filled eyes staring up at him. "Promise not to tell papa or mam?"

The raven haired boy frowned, surely he did not need to make such promises, Natsu should know better than that, but he relented, "of course, I won't Natsu, you can tell me anything remember," he assured the boy before kissing the top of his head and waiting patiently for the source of his fear to be revealed.

"I'm scared to start school tomorrow. What if the teacher is mean? What if I'm too stupid to understand anything, and what if nobody likes me?" he wailed before burying his face into the covers to hide his embarrassment.

Ah, so this was the source of his discomfort. Zeref mused on it, it would be a lie to say that he had not held similar thoughts when he had first started school three years ago, and at only two years old it wasn't as if he could confide those fears with his baby brother.

He recalled confessing to his father that he had been scared to start school, much like Natsu was doing now. His father had been kind and patient, listening to his list of concerns which seemed to grow arms and legs the more Zeref spoke until he simply ran out of air in his lungs.

"Zeref my boy, you are indeed privileged to be starting school. There are many in the village that would be envious of your position," his father had started before being cut off by the confused boy.

"Papa, what does envious mean?" he had asked, nose wrinkling as he tried to decipher his father's words and failed.

His father had laughed, scooping Zeref up to sit on his knee. "Hm, well, envious means to wish for something that you do not have, but another does, understand?"

Zeref had simply nodded, his eyes never leaving his father's face. He had taken in every detail, every scratch to his stubbled chin, each arch of his dark brow and the way his smile stretched widely as he opened his mouth to speak again.

"It is sad that schooling is only being offered to those that can speak English," he had sighed, scrubbing a hand down his weary face. This was indeed true, Zeref knew that the small school in Crumlin only offered education to those that understood enough English to be taught to read and write. Welsh was not allowed to be spoken within the walls of the school, and if found to be doing so it would be punished either by a ruler over the backs of knuckles, or even worse, the belt.

"It'll be different one day, you'll see, but for now you should be proud of your heritage. I know there are some that look down on me, still see me as an outsider even after all these years, but I'm here to stay and they will grow to love me as your mam did." His father had ruffled Zeref's hair and pulled him further against his strong chest.

Zeref had lost all fear at that moment, he knew he was in the safest possible place, his father's arms. "For now cyw bach, all you need to do is be yourself and then everything will fall into place, I am sure of it."

With those words ringing in his ears he cooed down to Natsu, hushing the muffled wails that were being sobbed into his nightshirt. He could feel the tears soaking through into his skin and it hurt to see him in such turmoil.

"Natsu, listen to me brawd. School is amazing, the opportunity to learn so much and make new friends. You have no reason to fear for I shall be there by your side, I will even hold your hand if that is what you wish. Miss Evans is sweet, yes she can be strict, but it takes a lot to push her buttons, trust me, I know," he chuckled.

"And you are not stupid, how could I possibly have a stupid little brother? You know, papa told me that you took to English much quicker than I did, you are sure to outshine me in the end."

Natsu blinked, enraptured by this brother's words. Slowly and surely his mouth split into a dazzling smile and the tears dried from his eyes, "you're the best, Zeref!"

The pink bundle settled down, clearly, his fears doused and fell into a swift peaceful sleep. Zeref smiled down at the bounty he held in his arms, and let himself join Natsu in slumber. His final thought before he drifted off…

"I'll hold your hand wherever you go."

~.~

It was cruel.

He shouldn't have these tortuous memories thrust upon him. Forced to relive such happy memories that should bring him comfort, but only served in further blackening his soul. A wretched reminder that his goal still remained incomplete, was he being punished for his lack of progress?

Screaming into the void of the night, he cursed every possible iteration of 'God'. If there even was such a being, Zeref was still undecided on that matter. He would find out one day, and that day would be a reckoning of the highest degree.

The last memory hit him like a bolt of lightning aimed right between the eyes. His vision blurred and then he was once again in his family home, witnessing a scene that was the catalyst for the disintegration of his soul.

~.~

Blood.

It coated the floor in vast pools, almost black from how much there was of the hideous fluid. Three bodies lay in their own life essence. His barely adolescent brain could not process what he was seeing, his gaze focusing on small details like the plates on the kitchen table that held blood-smeared handprints, and the axe that was used for cutting firewood that gleamed up at him from his father's hand, the blade shiny and clean.

His father, oh god, that was his father laying there. Bile rose up his throat and he turned only to crash on his knees. Zeref emptied his stomach upon the stone floor, wracked with gasping wails at what he now knew to be his family. Deep down he had known it was them, but it hadn't been until he connected the axe still held in his father's hand that the realisation had hit.

The Dragneels were dead, and Zeref was alone.