The END Draws Near

A/N: My own interpretation of the theory behind Fairy Heart and Ragnarok. Manga spoilers! Apologies for the tragic angst, and I promise something cheerful will be up next!

Natsu clenched his fists helplessly. For the first time in years, it seemed all of his strength was for naught. This enemy…was undefeatable.

"Scared, Natsu?" END smirked, languidly walking toward him. "Fear doesn't suit you."

"I'm not!" Natsu growled.

"Oh?" There was a glimmer of amusement in END's all too knowing eyes. "You're not afraid of what'll happen if I take control again?"

It was a fierce battle of wills, both struggling to reclaim control of Natsu's body. All around him, Natsu could hear the cries of combat, but his own war was raging within his head. His mind had become the battlefield; his consciousness had become his soldier. He knew what was at stake—if END regained control, Ragnorak would commence again. And worst of all, he, Natsu Dragneel, would fully be consumed. After all, two beings...could never embody one.

"You've done well to restrain me so far. But this time—" END's fist burst into black flames. "I will play the conqueror."

"Don't waste your breath." Natsu focused upon his own power, drawing up his own comforting fire. "I'll stop you every single time!" But his voice shook with exhaustion, reminding him that it had took almost everything he had to first regain control of himself.

END threw his head back, laughing. "You? A mere imposter? You're forgetting something, Natsu. This body has always been END's…" As if to prove his point, the walls flickered and revealed an image of the true battle before them.

Natsu stared, powerless as he watched his guild members fall one by one on the screen. "H-how?"

"I control it." END said simply. "Your sight, your pitiful human mind…" He waved his hand again, this time revealing a scene Natsu remembered very well, and tried desperately to forget. "And even your memories. We are in your head, after all."

Natsu gritted his teeth.

"How…precious." END looked at the walls patronizingly. "Does she know how she haunts your mind?"

"She's a friend." Natsu said shortly.

"Then you wouldn't mind if I took her? When I gain control, that is." END stared at the image of the blonde laying on the floor, her black robes puddling around her. "I'll have her in a way you've never had."

Natsu thought he was going to be sick. "Y-you wouldn't dare touch her."

END shrugged, skimming through Natsu's memories as if browsing through a book. Various events flitted across the walls, but they all had a common theme—the same blond girl. "Lucy, is it? She really is everywhere in your head."

"Don't." Natsu wanted to beg, his stomach clenching. He didn't know what he would do if END ever laid his filthy hands on Lucy.

"Really, Natsu? Such a tantalizing morsel, and you never once took a bite?" END laughed mockingly. "What were you waiting for? Were you going to hold hands with her forever?"

"Bastard." Natsu was filled with cold, overwhelming fear. Suddenly, the stakes were much, much higher. If Lucy ever got involved—

"Once I own this body again, I think I'll give her a taste. She wouldn't even struggle, would she? I daresay that she'd enjoy it—" END reeled backwards from the force of Natsu's blow.

Natsu was breathing heavily, his eyes murderous. His fury lent him strength, the power necessary to at least delay END. "Lay just one finger on her—" He threw himself down on END, his knees pressing hard against END's lungs. "Or even say her name again…I'll kill you." He smashed his fists into END's still smirking face, only feeling stony satisfaction as he watched END dissipate into smoldering ashes.

"Natsu!"

Natsu groaned, his eyelids struggling to open. He blinked them open a crack.

A blurry image of Gray peered down anxiously at him. "You are Natsu, right? Not END?"

"Yeah." Natsu said hoarsely. "It's me, ice-bastard. Where's…the guild?"

Gray hesitated.

Natsu frowned. "Where's the guild?" He repeated, his heart sinking.

"You—I mean, END…" Gray's voice trailed off.

A wave of icy horror swept over him. The world had been destroyed by his own hands. "They're dead?"

"No!" Gray quickly reassured him. "Just…heavily injured."

"Look, Gray. I need your help." Natsu looked at him resolutely. "There's no other way to stop END. He's going to come back, just like before." And hurt Lucy. He added silently. Although he had temporarily defeated END, Natsu knew that he would reform, rise up from the ashes like the rebirth of a phoenix.

Gray looked at him wearily. "What?"

"Kill me." The words fell like a swing of a guillotine, yet Natsu felt strangely relieved.

Gray recoiled. "I can't—"

"He's still inside of me! I can't stop him forever…he keeps coming back! I only have a few minutes before he gains control again."

"But—"

"Gray!" Natsu roared. "I'm only asking this once…Please." There was a wetness to Natsu's eyes that Gray had never seen before…were those tears? "I can't hurt Fairy Tail anymore…I can't hurt Lucy anymore, okay?"

So this would be how it would end, he mused. The sky ablaze with red above, the salty scent of blood and tears burning his nostrils, the cold hard ground…he tried his best to absorb the details of this newly ravaged land. The END had come for this wasteland…and for him as well.

"I'll bring the guild." Gray said instead.

"What?"

"To say goodbye." His voice caught a little on the last word.

Natsu just nodded, closing his eyes. Then his hand grabbed Gray's sleeve firmly. "Don't bring her."

Gray looked at him strangely, knowing exactly who Natsu was referring to. "Lucy? Why?"

There was only a soft reply. "I think…I think she'd be sad."

Gray cursed, wiping at his eyes angrily. "As if we all wouldn't?" He barked, trying to hide the tremor in his voice.

"Just don't let Lucy see." He insisted.

Don't let her…see the end.

"Zeref." Lucy said coldly, rising from the pile of stones she'd been sitting on. "Why did you want to see me?"

"To gain your assistance." Zeref's face remained impassive.

Lucy bit back a wild laugh. "You think I would help you? You've destroyed my family…you destroyed Natsu!"

"It was the role he was groomed for. Without END, Ragnarok would have never achieved its opening stage."

"So, he was just another player in your sick game?"

"You find it sickening, yet I find it oddly liberating. The world has been destroyed. END has defeated Acnologia. All that remains—"

"Further death and destruction?" She glared at him fiercely, her spirit still strong.

"Not quite, Lucy Heartfilia. The world still needs rebirth."

Lucy, for all of her research on the Dragon Festival, had never come across this idea. "And you need me?"

Zeref nodded. "Lumen Histoire. Lucy Heartfilia. They are one and the same."

Lucy shuddered, rattled by his strange words. "You're mad! We've all seen Lumen Histoire—"

"You too have been groomed for a role in this new world. A cycle of death and rebirth has been set in motion. Natsu has already fulfilled his responsibility…shouldn't you do the same? You alone can call upon the greatest Fairy Magic." Zeref interrupted. "Fairy Heart…you are the guild's guiding light."

Lucy sank to her knees, the strength in her legs gone. "That's impossible! How can I? I can't—"

"The One Magic…you have learned of its secrets?"

"Yes, but—"

"Then you understand what must be done, don't you? You're a clever girl, Lucy Heartfilia. The power of love needs something in return."

"And why should I even help you?" She spat.

Zeref looked at her blankly. "You don't wish to save the world?"

Lucy hesitated.

"You don't wish to save the one you love?" Zeref's carefully chosen words weakened her resolve.

"You mean I can—"

"Restore Natsu? Yes." Zeref turned away, his cloak fluttering in the wind. "All evil will be born anew into the light."

She watched him walk away, her heart heavy.

"And, Lucy?" Zeref called out one last time. "I'm sorry…You and Natsu should have never met."

You and Natsu should have never met.

The words rang in her ears, her mind tumultuous.

You and Natsu should have never met.

So this had confirmed her suspicions. Zeref had wished for renewal, the birth of a new era. And she, Lucy Heartfilia, would usher it.

Lucy slowly walked into the guildhall, heading down to the basement.

It had been planned from the beginning, the pink-haired boy would destroy the world…and she would save it. They had been carefully watched over, trained—her mother. Her mother had known, hadn't she? Layla had taught her of the One Magic, told her stories of its light…She had even named her "Lucy" for 'Light'—how could she not have seen this happening?

The One Magic was love, and she had known it all along. But she didn't think it would mean such sorrow, as well. Fairy Heart...why had it chosen her?

Great magic required great sacrifice, and Mavis had made that decision all those years ago. Now, it was her turn.

She half-laughed and half-sobbed. Ironic, that she would stumble upon Natsu that one day in Hargeon. Would she have avoided him then, if she knew what was about to happen? They would have been able to carry on their roles without ever knowing the consequences. This would…break his heart.

"If you hadn't met me that day, idiot—" She choked back her tears. "This would be so, so much easier."

She slowly approached the large crystal, Mavis's blank eyes staring down at her. Lucy pressed her fingers against its smooth surface, watching it soften and meld around her hand. Hesitantly, she reached forward, pushing her hand through the crystal to grab Mavis's hand.

Mavis trembled slightly, as if awaking from a long slumber. "So it was your Heart they sent me." Her clear, high voice trilled. "Lucy Heartfilia...how fitting." She said, emphasizing the word 'heart'.

"Is it enough?" Lucy asked, head bowed.

"You hold so much in your heart, Fairy. Your love will save us all." Mavis's eyes softened. "Thank you…for your sacrifice."

"I suppose…" Lucy had to stop for a moment, for tears were threatening to overwhelm her. "I will take your place?" There was the guild's ghastly darkness...those who used Fairy Heart would remain in the crystal, trapped for an indefinite amount of time.

"The One Magic is powerful; for life and death often go hand in hand…I would not blame you if you saw it as dark." Mavis whispered gently. "It has bestowed great tragedy on one so young."

"I thought the One Magic was love…isn't love supposed to be good?" A single tear traced down Lucy's cheek.

"Love is more painful than you believe. But it is love, nonetheless. Does it change your decision?"

Lucy looked at Mavis then, her eyes shimmering with tears. "No." She said firmly, simultaneously pulling Mavis out, while allowing herself to be drawn into the crystal. "Tell…tell them I love them."

And with that, Lucy Heartfilia was no more.

The sky burned gold that day.

Gray froze, watching in astonishment as the cracked earth once again grew rich. Trees recovered their lost pigment, water began to trickle, and the earth seemed to heave a great sigh of relief. His wounds were beginning to close, the pain fading away like an old memory.

"What…is this?" Natsu murmured, watching as dark smoke began to rise from his limbs into the ethereal sky.

"The world is experiencing rebirth."

Natsu looked up to see Zeref standing beside him. "Y-you—"

"Do not worry, Natsu. My time, along with END's, has come." He gestured at the murky substance leaking from Natsu's pores. "There is no need for your death no longer."

"You're fading…" Gray said in wonder.

Zeref smiled faintly. "Fairy Heart erases all evil. I suppose I would be considered that, after all my years in darkness."

"Fairy Heart?" Natsu repeated. "Fairy—" Suddenly, he forced himself off the ground, ignoring the protest from his aching limbs. He began to sprint towards the guild, a persistent tingle of fear running through his veins.

Zeref watched him leave sorrowfully. "He should have never met Lucy Heartfilia that day…I fear my plans went slightly awry. I would have never foreseen that he would come to care for her so much."

"For that, I am sorry, Natsu."

Natsu skidded to a halt in front of the guild. It had been utterly destroyed, the door ripped from its hinges.

"I was hoping you wouldn't come." Lucy appeared behind him suddenly.

"Lucy!" He shouted, running toward her. He was frantic, desperately trying to reach for her.

"Don't." Lucy whispered, tears glistening in her eyes.

He stopped short. "You used Fairy Heart." He said in a strangled voice. "Y-you're not really here, are you?"

"Astral projection. Mavis said it would fade in a few minutes." She tried to ignore the lump in her throat. "I guess the adventure ends here, Natsu."

"Lucy." The words were ripped from his throat. "Lucy, you can't leave me. There's so much I have to say, there's so much we haven't done yet…Lucy, why?" He choked out.

"Because I love you." Only days ago, her courage would have fled her...but now, with so little time, she couldn't say the words quickly enough. Her ghostly fingers gently traced his jaw. "Natsu…don't miss me too much, okay?"

"How could I not?" He slammed his fist into the wall. "We're…partners, Luce. Partners don't leave other partners behind." It was an inadequate word to describe a bond so complex, so strong, but it was all he had.

The tears were flooding down Lucy's cheeks now, and she hastily wiped at them. "Please, don't make this so much harder, Natsu. We should have never met."

He felt as if someone had bludgeoned his heart with a sledgehammer. "Is that…really what you believe?"

"You wouldn't hurt so much if I didn't run into you at Hargeon. We would have happily been pawns in Zeref's twisted game…and you would never know the girl who was sacrificed for Fairy Heart." She tried unsuccessfully to wipe away his tears, tears he had not realized he had shed.

"So it was all a dream." He laughed brokenly. "A never ending adventure…growing up together…it was never meant to happen?"

"Natsu, stop."

"So is this how it ends?" He shouted, cursing Zeref and the world and everything that had gone wrong. Then, all of his anger fled, replace with only grief. "I wanted to protect you. I loved you too."

"I know. Will you…stay with me before I go?"

And then the tears truly rained down in earnest. "Always."

A/N continued: These theories all struck me as rather plausible (Ragnarok, Fairy Heart, END), although I pray that Mashima doesn't write as tragically as I did! These are all equally depressing thoughts, so I just had to write it all out! I have high hopes for a Happy Ending for Fairy Tail :)

If you are curious to learn more, check out bijuewled's (tumblr) theory on Lucy replacing Mavis as Fairy Heart, as well as fairlytailed's (tumblr) research on Ragnarok, which is associated with Norse mythology.