Disclaimer: Fairy Tail belongs to Hiro Mashima


ACT V: Ragnarok – The Fateful Encounter

Approximately X793

~ o ~ O ~ o ~

Chapter 33: Dance with the devil

It all happened so fast. One minute Lucy was holding on to Natsu, who was screaming in such a unnatural and high-pitched tone that her ears was hurting, the next she was the one screaming in pain when a claw suddenly dug into her side, before her entire body was flung away. As she rocketed away she was mere seconds away from smashing her head against a gigantic rock when Zeref caught her, preventing her from getting her skull smashed to pieces. She barely noticed that though, neither did she seem to register that warm hands gently guided her into a sitting position on the ground

"Ugh!" Lucy groaned, her eyes firmly shut for a moment, as she tried her best to ignore the intense pain from her newly acquired wound. While doing that she unconsciously placed a hand above her torn flesh, trying to prevent blood from spouting out of her body.

"You..." Zeref's whispered in a low voice that was filled with sadness.

Breathing heavily through her mouth, Lucy opened her eyes and looked at the dark mage and to her surprise he looked terrified but also slightly angry. She didn't know this, but at that moment the dark mage was thinking about a woman who looked similar to the celestial mage but also another blonde, who had died in his arms.

An unnatural and vicious growl made a chill run down her spine, before she reluctantly turned her head to look at the demon. All though Lucy had seen him in this secondary form before, it was still frightening and heartbreaking to watch. His skin was once more covered with scales, his claws looked even longer and more lethal. Furthermore his feet had turned into claws as well.

"Please..." she pleaded to no one in particular, while watching the demon's wings as they slowly unfolding behind him, while he sat perfectly still in a crouched position, his head bend forwards making it impossible to see his facial expression.

An unnatural snarl formed in the demon's throat as he very slowly started raising his head, but for some reason his eyes were closed, almost as if he was concentrating about something.

"Natsu..." Lucy whispered his name and instantly regretted it, when he snapped his head in her direction and opened his eyes.

His eyes was glistening with pure hatred and madness as he shot her an intense stare, that was foreboding with death. It looked so unnatural and cruel especially because the whiteness in his eyes had turned black, making his pupils seem so much more threatening because of the contrast in colour.

As she kept staring at him she couldn't prevent herself from shaking uncontrollably as her primal fears was evoked, making cold sweat stream down her body.

Lucy didn't know why, but for some reason there was something even more demonic and wicked about him. It wasn't just his piercing and intimidating stare that felt like he was looking right into her soul, but it was also the aura that was radiating from him. For some reason it was more threatening and more suffocating than it had been when she first saw him in this form.

A flash of pain from her wound made her flinch, before biting down her lips to prevent herself from screaming both in pain and terror. Her movement however didn't go by unnoticed by Natsu who quickly turned his head to look at the wound and the blood that was streaming through the celestial mage's fingers. The former Dragon Slayer didn't say anything but just sat there staring, like he was hypnotised by the sight.

"Natsu?" Lucy narrowed her eyes in confusion by his lack of response.

"Are..." she tried moving, but immediately regretted that as an unbearable pain shot through her system "... can... can you hear me?"

Still not saying anything the demon looked up and into her eyes, his face looking plain and emotionless.

"Please... answer me" her voice cracked painfully as tears formed in the corner of her eyes.

A long silence followed where they just glared at each other, but after a while the demon opened his mouth indicating he was about to speak.

"Just... say something" Lucy pleaded again, hoping to get a reaction. Still not getting one, she watched as Natsu's pink tongue slipped out of his mouth, before he started licking his lips for a few seconds.

"Ohh..." the demon's eyes widened as he stopped licking his lips.

"Ohh?" Lucy blinked and unconsciously clenched her hand tighter against her wound.

"Yes..." Natsu quickly scanned her body and started humming, as he raised the claw that was drenched with her blood up to his face "... yes"

"What is it?" the celestial mage asked feeling rather confused.

"The blood is on my hands again..." Natsu smiled widely revealing his teeth "... look!" he started laughing hysterically before placing his blood dripping claw underneath his nose, where he inhaled it's scent "A young vintage it is, yesss"

Natsu chuckled before he licked one of his fingers, making a trail of blood visible on his tongue before he started smacking with his mouth, evidently tasting what he had just consumed.

"No..." Lucy shook her head in disbelief, feeling her heartbeat fasten as panic started to rush through her system.

"Something's wrong..." Zeref whispered beside her "... this isn't right"

"Ohhh, you think this isn't right lil' bro?" Natsu laughed sounding completely insane, before he tilted his head to the side glaring at the two of them in turn "I thought you wanted me to kill you? Just like everyone else ends up dying all around me. My dad... the master... Gildarts... my entire guild... the dragon's... Lucy's mom... heck even I died! Is that why I'm END? Because everything I know will meet their end?"

The demon's eyes widened and glistened with pure madness as he continued "Eeeeverything dies... my curse... is not anger, no it's enduring seeing everyone die, be it by my own hands or by association"

"It wasn't your fault!" Lucy yelled hoping to gain the demon's sanity.

"Ohh but it was!" Natsu chuckled wickedly "You said it yourself this is all because of my messed up family"

"You know I didn't..."

"Mean it like that?" his voice was suddenly filled with anger "Of course you didn't, but that doesn't mean I don't believe in it"

"But you can't..." Lucy shook her head refusing to accept what he was saying

"I'll fucking believe whatever I want!" growling the demon got into a standing position where he clenched his hand and in a quick movement he launched himself into the air "I'll give you your end now, because why wait for a heartbreak when I can finish it right now"

"No..." Lucy whispered as she watched the demon in an unbelievably fast pace, closed the distance between them. His claws was mere inches away from her head, when something interrupted the attack as a black wall suddenly appeared between them. A millisecond later the demonic claw hit the wall making him growl in anger.

"She is not your target" Zeref hissed as he bend down next to the blonde girl and placed a hand above her wound.

"Tsch!" Natsu spat as black magic emerged from the dark mage's hand "So you're killing her instead is that it?"

Lucy didn't know what to say or do so she sat perfectly still, as the wound on her stomach started to close.

"No..." Zeref sighed sounding impatient "... my magic is more than death and destruction, how else do you think I could create my demons. This specific type of spell is destined to breathe life into something else"

"Whatever man, see if I care, what lame spell you use" the demon groaned loudly.

The dark mage didn't give in to the provocation, but turned to look at the celestial mage, who sat stuttering because everything about the situation felt weird. It was like everything had turned upside down reversing everything especially Natsu and Zeref's roles.

"Uhm... thank you? I uhm..." Lucy started but stopped because she didn't know what else to say.

"You need to run" the dark mage said in a serious tone "I have the feeling he will target you again"

"I... I can't do that" Lucy said feeling outraged by his proposition.

"Ohh..." Natsu hummed to himself "... so my lil' bro wants to turn this into a game of hide and seek... mmm interesting"

There was something so potentially lethal dripping in the demon's voice, it sent a shiver down the celestial mage's spine.

"Girl..." Zeref narrowed his eyes "... do as I tell you"

"No..." she took a deep shaking breath before sending the dark mage a determined look "... I'm not gonna run away"

"Aww come on, it sounds like it could be fun" Natsu said and started chuckling but it quickly turned into him laughing hysterically.

"Tsch!" the dark mage spat "Listen I don't want any more of your blood on his hands and I can't protect you from him"

"I don't care!" she shook her head "Besides I can protect myself"

"And if that ain't enough..." a deep voice suddenly spoke from behind them "... I'll have her back"

"Laxus..." she gasped feeling mildly surprised.

"It's gonna be fine I promise you" Laxus said before he started patting her head.

"But..." she said before glaring at the lightning mage in concern "... are you...?"

"I'm fine" Laxus sighed loudly "This isn't the time to mourn our losses"

"Excellent!" the demon's eyes widened as he cracked his knuckles "I'll crunch each of your fucking skulls, quicker than you can say pretty please"

"Shut it!" the blonde man said in an impatient tone as lightning emerged from his fingers, making it smash the black wall before he quickly ran in the demon's direction and engaged in battle with him, Zeref quickly following behind him making the unlikely duo fight the previous Dragon Slayer.

Lucy was about to do the same, when Mavis suddenly stood in front of her.

"First?! What... is something wrong?" the celestial mage asked in surprise.

"You could say that..." the tiny mage shook her head and smiled wholeheartedly "... but this just means we need to change strategies, you'll see"

And with that said the first guild leader vanished, leaving Lucy confused and staring into thin air.

"What?" she wondered briefly, before quickly snapping back to reality. After all this wasn't the place to space out, she had to figure out how to stop Natsu and make him turn back into his usual self. Lucy didn't know how but she was determined to figure it out somehow.

~ o ~ O ~ o ~

"Come on Laxus I know you can do better than that!" Natsu teased his opponent while easily avoiding a lightning strike, as he smoothly bend backwards and in a swift movement turned a somersault away from the attack.

"Dark Orb!" Zeref called as a huge linear black mass was shot in the his direction, which Natsu was millimetres away from being caught in, but fortunately he still had momentum from his previous dodge, so it was easy for him to flip to the side and out of range.

"You guys are too predictable!" the former Dragon Slayer chuckled wickedly as he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, which caused him to be distracted for a second, but that was enough time for a certain blonde to make her move.

"Lucy punch!" she screamed before her clenched fist slammed against his abdomen, making him snarl in pain as his stomach instinctively made him crouch forwards. Simultaneously with this Laxus roared "Lightning Dragon's Heavenward Halberd" before hurling a massive lightning spear in the demon's direction. Lucy quickly jumped out of the way, but Natsu wasn't that fortunate as he took the attack head-on making him scream in pain as the lightning fluctuated and pierced his skin continuously as it kept lashing at him, like they were multiple electric whips that kept on going.

Fucking hell this hurts! Natsu thought in annoyance to himself, not hearing Zeref calling his next attack, before he felt the dark magic that suddenly formed all around him in a huge pillar that moved upwards in a vertical line, making his screams more audible as the pain intensified.

After a while the darkness and lightning vanished leaving Natsu heaving for air, as his skin prickled and burned from the attack that had left multiple small fractures on his body. Fortunately his scales took the most of the blow, but some of his exposed skin had been ripped making it look like a cat had used him as a scratching tree.

"Hell..." the former Dragon Slayer fumed as he took a deep shaking breath "... no!"

"Don't be mad kiddo, just because you're at a disadvantage" Laxus growled as lightning once more sparkled around his clenched fist.

"Tsh! Don't call me a kiddo, you big loaf of unintelligent bread!" the demon snapped in anger as he unfolded his wings behind him and started hovering above them.

"I ain't no bread, you moron!" the lightning Dragon Slayer scoffed not at all being taunted by his opponents outburst.

"Yeah you are" Natsu lips curled backwards into a lethal looking smile as he rocketed over to Zeref, catching his head with his claw before he threw his brother towards Laxus "And here is your filling! Ohh wait we need something"

This is gonna be great! The demon laughed in his mind as he in a flash flew over to Lucy, who he immediately threw towards the other two mages making them all tumble into a bundle on the ground.

"Bwahahah!" Natsu guffawed mockingly while pointing a claw at the pathetic looking humans "Now that's what I call a sandwich! Or perhaps I should call you ground beef, because that's what you'll look like when I'm done with you!"

"You sure do talk a lot, huh?" Zeref asked before positioning himself in a defensive stance.

"Aww, you don't like the sound of my angelic voice?" the former Dragon Slayer said in a playful tone as he quickly made his way over to his brother where he caught him in a tight hug "My sweet little brother"

"Let me go, this instant" the dark mage grumbled in a low voice as he tried squirming his way out of the hug.

"Ohh I'll let you go" his eyes darted over to Lucy who looked both frightened but also uncertain about something "Because I get it now... ohh yes I do you pathetic low life!"

Anger... ohh the anger that escalated through Natsu's veins felt so delightful that it made his vision blur for a second as he forcefully threw the dark mage at Laxus, catching the blonde man off guard again and causing them to tumble over as they collided with each other.

"Coooow girl, it's your turn!" the demon sang, his voice dripping with malice as he quickly flew towards the blonde where he easily caught her in a tight hug.

"Nnnngh!" Lucy squealed and twisted trying to snake out of her position.

"Ohh come on giiiirl, don't you like my makeover, mmm?"

"I... uhm... it's not" the girl stuttered, clearly perplexed about his sentence.

"Sure it isn't... well could it be..." Natsu leaned closer to Lucy's ear and whispered in a low raspy voice "... that you secretly like this?"

"What?"

"You know me becoming like this..." he growled before digging the tip of his claws into her back "... and Zeref being your new best friend"

"No I don't..." she shivered clearly frightened by his outburst.

"Liar, liar pants on fire!" the demon growled his eyes glistening with pure hatred "This wont do, no not at all. People who lie should be severely punished, so they can't keep spouting their lies"

And he knew the right way to do that, he grabbed a chunk of her hair and forcefully yanked her head backwards, making her scream in pain from the sudden motion. Ohh the sound of her screaming made his skin prickle with joy and the feeling didn't lessen as he took a deep breathe and inhaled her scent.

"Shhh..." he hushed almost reassuringly while licking his teeth before he instantly plunged his canines into her neck making the girl scream in agony and fear.

Don't ya worry darlin', in a second I'll rip your throat out and it'll all be over, he thought as a smirk lingered on his lips before he put more pressure into the bite, making blood stream more freely into his mouth.

Ohh well he was getting slightly thirsty anyway...

"Let go of her this instant!" a female voice that dripped with malice came from behind him, before he felt something spiky being pressed against his back.

"My, my..." Natsu removed his mouth and cast a glance over his shoulder "... Erza, it's a pleasure to see you again"

"The pleasure is all yours, I can assure you of that" she narrowed her eyes and used the moment to place her sword against his neck "Now let her go before I slit your throat"

"You wouldn't do that" the demon smiled in arrogance.

"She will and even if she hesitates for a second I'll do the job for her" Gray said as something cold and sharp was pressed against his side.

"Ohh so you're here too buddy" Natsu smiled as he removed his arms from Lucy, making her tumble down on her butt, before he turned around so the three of them was facing each other. As she did Laxus quickly ran over and scooped Lucy into his arms and away from the demon.

"What happened here?" Erza enquired in a serious tone.

"Nothing much" he shrugged lazily "The master died, causing me to lose control over the curse"

"Then I suggest you get your control back" Gray narrowed his eyes evidently measuring the situation.

"Naaw that ain't happening" the demon sighed loudly, before crossing his arms in front of him.

"Why not?" the scarlet haired woman

"Come on I don't wanna waste my time explaining something so boring..." Natsu rolled his eyes impatiently.

"Ice Devil's Zeroth Destruction Bow!" Gray roared all of a sudden and pointed the arrow somewhere behind the demon "Hold it right there or I will fire!"

"Uhm... you really are slacking if you can't see where I'm standing?" the demon questioned his opponents actions.

"It's okay... Wendy stay back, we've got this" Laxus roared before exchanging a look with the dark mage "I know this might seem odd but for now Zeref is our ally"

"He WHAT?!" Gray's eyes widened momentarily in surprise.

"It's true..." Lucy said in a fragile voice, before she started coughing loudly into her hand.

"I see" Erza nodded to herself "So it's five against one, huh?"

"Ohh yes!" Natsu giggled enthusiastically as he licked his lips and removed the iron tasting liquid from them.

"Very well" the armored woman responded "Rest assured we will continue this fight, until you tell us how we can restore you to your former form"

"Faaair enough miss ladybug!" he spat on the ground as a sign of him agreeing to her terms "Now let's play shall we?"

It would be fun... ohh yes for him to unleash his anger and use his curse to make them all burn to crisps would be magnificent.


A/N: I'm having way too much fun typing from insane Natsu's POV. The only rule while typing his personality is there are no rules! He can do whatever he wants and I love it. Unleashing him like this is the most fun I've had typing in ages XD

Important note: This happened off panel but while Zeref, Natsu and Lucy was busy, Laxus ordered Wendy to take cover and be ready if they needed first aid healing, because they all know this is gonna be a hard fight.

For "fun" note: The demons are dead, there are only zombies left (besides END) :3

Anyhow, I gotta go do stuff – you guys have a nice time and enjoy your weekend (if you have time off from work/school/etc.)

/H