Normal Pov

Lucy looked at the castle sitting on the hill. She was alone, minus the looming presence of Zeref's magic in the air. She felt as though this would not be the end for her, but rather the beginning to something completely different. Her heart and mind were finally in sync with one another. They both had the same goal.

Defeat Zeref.

Lucy took her time striding up to the castle doors. She was going to take him on headfirst. Sneaking around was not something she could afford. She knew this would not end without someone dying, without someone reaching their game over.

She pushed open the doors to the main entrance, smiling at the sudden increase of magical pressure as Zeref walked into the room with a wicked, insane smirk on his lips.

"Well, well, well. Look who came back to her rightful place all on her own. Welcome back, my sweet little Lucy."

Lucy said nothing in reply. She only walked towards the man with her magical pressure rivalling his. Her magic just kept surging, increasing, growing with every step. It was strong and powerful.

Once she stood a few meters from him, she threw up a shield of water to protect her as Zeref sent a razor of deadly dark magic at her.

"So you really intend to destroy me, little lucky Lucy? How…cute." He said softly. "Child of the heavenly dragon, is this your final declaration?"

"It is." Lucy answered strongly.

"Very well. All that time your grandfather spent bringing me to power, gone to waste on you, Lucy. He called you his heir. He spent all this time moulding you into the perfect woman for me. Until he kicked the bucket and your mother undid everything he worked so hard on. Ever wondered why she died from an illness, Lucy?"

Lucy froze. He killed her mother. He killed her mother. He killed the person who shaped her into the perfect celestial mage, the person who gave her, her core values on Celestial magic. Zeref stole her mother. He stole her brother. And now, now he is attempting to take her beloved Laxus and Sting and Rogue and the rest of Fairy Tail.

No.

No, she wouldn't allow it.

He was trying to play with her mind, get into her head. She would not let him.

She took a deep breath, locking out all outer thoughts and focusing on only one, defeating Zeref and ending his tyranny. She released her breath before taking another, calming herself and thinking over her next words carefully. "Zeref, I stand before you not to talk of the past, nor of what my grandfather wished me to be. I stand here to end your existence, to end your tyranny. You will not take the lives of the innocent anymore." Lucy sighed as she swiftly pulled out a key faster than even Zeref could keep up with. She summoned Virgo and Cancer with only a thought. Gathering only a small portion of her magic to the palms of her hands, she closed her eyes and took another deep breath.

She opened her eyes and bolted for her target. She swung as she cried out her attack, "Apocalypse Dragon Deathly Fist!"

She swung and kicked and roared as Zeref assaulted her with his own array of attacks. He aimed his own death magic at her head. She dodged for a good while before he caught her arm in a poisonous jet of magic. It seeped into the medium sized cut from her shoulder to her elbow as she fell to her knees and gasped in pain. Gritting her teeth, she stood and faced him again as she summoned Gemini in Cancer's place, who had been hit with a slash of death magic.

She roared at him her battle cry. "Die, Zeref, and join your demons!"

Zeref smirked and laughed at her. "You have yet to lay a scratch on me, Little Lucy. Yet, I'd say you have an hour before the poison kills you." His smirk only grew at her dragon-like snarl. "Lucy, here I'll give you one more chance, to stop this foolishness. You're acting like a rebellious child."

Without a moment's hesitation, Lucy growled as he attempted to cut her down once more with a slash of death magic, which had hit Virgo and Gemini. As he continued his barrage of attacks, she took a deep breath and dodged his attacks, calling out her spell. "Survey the Heavens, Open the Heavens... All the stars, far and wide... Show me thy appearance... With such shine. Oh Tetrabiblos… I am the ruler of the stars... Aspect become complete... Open thy malevolent gate. Oh 88 Stars of the heaven... Shine! Urano Metra!" Several miniature planets formed around Lucy and launched themselves towards the ultimate dark wizard. She watched and enjoyed the way his eyes widened as he came to the realization that this would be his end.

Slowly, he evaporated with the explosions of the colliding planets.

"I was a fool to believe that you couldn't hurt me, Lucy Heartfilia. I'm so proud."

"And I was a fool to believe you'd die to my other magic." Lucy tried to keep her voice strong and even but at the end her voice waivered. "I knew you only wanted the best for me…Grandfather."

Lucy POV

I don't remember much after hearing my grandfather's final words, but Laxus said that he had found me near a pile of ashes crying and hysterical. He said that he was glad he had brought Wendy with him on instinct. She said if I waited another ten minutes and I would have died. Rogue and Sting were angry at first, but I knew it was because they were scared for me.

Everything's calmed down and the guild had gotten a new roof and paid off all our debt to Sabertooth. Sting and Rogue decided to remain in Sabertooth, but on the agreement that they stop in and visit every once in a while.

Laxus and I had gotten married, too. It was a quiet ceremony, or as quiet as it could be with Fairy Tail and Sabertooth around. It wasn't fancy by all means, but beautiful nonetheless. The guild was nearly covered in pink, red, and white roses, thanks to Jet. Erza and Mira had helped me pick out my wedding dress. It was nice to have Master be the one to give me to Laxus. And as a wedding present, he reinstated me as Guild Master, saying he wanted a quiet life. I didn't not blame him either, Fairy Tail is a handful. He had said he would have disbanded the guild had Macao, Romeo, and Wakaba not spoken up for me to be the next permanent Guild Master.

Life had slowed down for a lot of us. Natsu and Lisanna had gotten engaged along with Mira and Freed's wedding a few months ago. Their wedding was hastily put together since Freed had nearly died saving Mira from Tempesta's attack.

Laxus and I have enjoyed the quiet days together as well, though he was not happy I had gone to fight Zeref alone. He understood that that was a battle I needed to fight on my own and there was no changing my mind.

But like I had hoped I had survived another battle and the fact that I had defeated Zeref single handed was a surprise for a lot of people. But they never knew that I wasn't alone, they had been with me the whole time. My memories of our happiest times had given me the power I needed to take Zeref down. In my opinion, they're the ones that defeated Zeref, not me. I was only the vessel for all that magical strength. But I think I'll keep that to myself.

Gray had finally told Juvia his honest feelings and that was endless fangirling on her part. She knew from the day that Gray showed her sunlight that he was meant for her and it may have taken him some time, but he eventually realized that, too.

Have mentioned that Laxus is going to be a father of a child? It's funny because he doesn't know it yet, but I'll tell him. I've decided on a girl's name, if that's what it'll end up being, Layla, named after the person that has given me light beyond anything else, my mother. Perhaps it'll have Laxus's magic or maybe mine…

But we'll know when the day comes, now won't we?

This is the final chapter. If I can feel the love, I'll write a squeal to this. PROMISE!

Also, really, really sorry it's been a long time!

See y'all soon, -SFL