A long chapter yes and the second half might be really confusing and repetitive but its mind games related stuff and is intended to contradict itself and sound kind of odd just letting you all know now.

Also this is the last chapter of this arc so the next chapter will come with the character info and Q&A for everyone who wanted a power scaling/what the hell does the main cast know how to do list.

It'll be similar to how I outlined the first one though obviously longer since all the characters know more now and I do things slightly different.

All questions will be answered in that as well so look forward to it I've done over half of it.

Also sorry for uploading so late I would have had this chapter up over a day ago but the site was playing up and then when it wasn't I wanted to read something but it's here now so yay.

Anyway enjoy the chapter!

I do not own Fairy Tail Hiro Mashima does.

Cold Heart

/Natsu's POV/

Natsu could hear the sounds of battle around him obviously from the others fighting the snow copies of Gray though Natsu inwardly wondered why he wasn't receiving the same treatment from him.

Trudging through the snow Natsu stopped in front of his Manor or what was left of it after the Demons of Tartaros destroyed it in their fight with Wendy, at that thought Natsu's mind turned back to when he'd found her and his subsequent reaction.

Yes Natsu's memory of his raw, unbridled fury had been getting clearer day by day and the countless amounts of lesser Demons he'd slaughtered that day he couldn't count for the life of him, however unlike before Natsu wasn't going to fall to despair and mope about it because he'd come to the realization that he was justified in his actions in exacting revenge on Wendy's behalf and nothing was going to change that.

Still looking at the collapsing mess that was his Manor didn't really make him feel that good and he swore that one day he would see it rebuilt better than it was before.

"I had some really great memories in that house," Natsu sighed as he began making his way towards the guild hall once more avoiding any more unnecessary stops until he arrived at the stairs leading to the guild. Ascending the stairs Natsu came face to face with the snowed over guild hall and couldn't help but feel responsible in some way even though deep down he knew he really wasn't.

The doors to the guild hall burst open as a cold gust of wind hit Natsu with him raising his arms to shield his face and beginning to slowly walk into the guild hall. Upon entering the guild hall Natsu was surprised to see that it was exactly as he remembered it with not even the slightest thing out of place … almost.

Yes the building itself was exactly the same down to the very last detail but it lacked heart and soul something which the guild thrived upon as evidenced when the original building was destroyed.

"After five years you finally show your face?"

Natsu looked up to the rafters and saw Gray sitting there relaxing as if nothing was out of the ordinary which angered Natsu slightly but he buried the emotion and remained calm and collected.

"Why are you doing this really Gray this isn't like you at all, Fairy Tail was your home as much as it was any of ours and look at what you've done to it? The people who were our friends you've driven them all away leaving only you and your hate behind, tell me why you're doing this Gray I want to understand?"

"You don't know me Natsu hell you didn't really know any of us, one day you just show up claiming to be the son of a Dragon which was outlandish but something we could all come to accept and had heaps of power at your fingertips but never used it. But instead of being satisfied with the power you had instead you thirsted for more and ran off with Gildarts not even two years after you arrived so don't think that less than two years means you know a person because that's bullshit Natsu."

"I won't argue the point that I did run off because I wasn't satisfied with my level of power but I did so with good intentions Gray, Lisanna was killed because none of us possessed the strength necessary to defend us all should a disaster come knocking and I needed that-."

"Cut the bullshit Natsu you didn't need that much power you would've been one of the strongest in the guild even if you didn't run off with Gildarts you even had Erza training with you!"

"So tell me then Gray how many times have I saved everyone with my newfound power huh, remember when Phantom Lord was poised to wipe Magnolia off the fucking map and they actually fired a second Jupiter shot only for me to stop it do you honestly believe I could have done something like that without leaving! And what about Jose himself he would have no doubt killed not only me but you, Erza, Mira and that brings up the fact that if it weren't for my leaving I wouldn't have ever gained enough respect and power to go do that S Class Quest for the Council where I met Elise and Eliza and gone through so many new experiences!"

"You really do believe yourself justified don't you Natsu, you left us all behind like we were just your own personal coat hangers left hanging away until you decided we were worth using or looking at again. Do you have any idea how hard it was for all of us to deal with you disappearing, Erza didn't come to the guild for weeks because she was crying alone in her room pleading for you to come back and when you finally do come back after a few months what do you do … you fucking disappear again!"

"Gray that's not fair we all went off to train I wasn't the only-!"

"And then you ran off again after the Tartaros incident not even once bothering to consider the feelings of others, you always leave us behind because you think yourself too superior to associate with lesser beings like us though coming from a Demon that makes a lot of sense!"

Natsu went to look down as if feeling hurt by such a statement when he saw Life and Death sitting at the bar once again with the marbles.

"Funny thing eyesight isn't it an extremely fickle sense."

"Indeed one can only see what the eye permits them to see unless they possess a gift of sorts," Death said as Life nodded in agreement.

"So are you just gonna stand there or are you gonna admit you were wrong!"

Natsu looked back up at Gray and looked back where Life and Death were only to find them gone, looking back up at Gray Natsu sighed and shook his head.

"Gray I don't know why you feel this way since over half this stuff you've brought up doesn't affect you directly and just to be clear I don't see myself being superior to anyone I think anyone with enough talent and will can achieve the same things I did."

"I don't know how you can stomach talking so much shit Natsu but it disgusts me, you are a horrible person who doesn't deserve to see the light of day not only for being a Demon but because you're a horrible person!"

"Go cry me a fucking river Gray my life hasn't been a picnic it's been absolute hell, I've fought in wars, done countless S Class and Assassination missions and even been forced to commit atrocities so don't try and lecture me you prick because it falls on deaf ears! You believe yourself superior but you aren't anything of the sort because I think you're jealous of me!"

That statement did not go over well with Gray as he stood and jumped down to ground level shattering the bar as he did.

"You always have pissed me off Natsu but knowing that you are a Demon only makes this even more fun …"

"We don't have to fight Gray we can still sort this out peacefully," Natsu said but his words fell upon deaf ears as the temperature in the room began to drop.

"I have nothing to say to a heartless monster like you …"

"I'm not the one pushing everyone away Gray," Natsu countered as Gray grit his teeth.

"You're a Demon just like Deliora was; just like Lullaby and just like Tartaros you aren't fooling me like you fooled the others Natsu it isn't going to go like that!"

"Why are you so obsessed with killing me Gray what have I ever actually done to you that made your life worse, I even brought Ur back for you so that you would be able to move on from your guilt and yet here you are consumed by it to the point of madness!"

"You don't know a god damned thing about me Natsu, not my goals, not my dreams, not my feelings, not my secrets or deepest darkest desires you know nothing! All that ever comes from you is sadness and despair even back when we were kids and you ran off it was always present," Gray shouted as he summoned a pink coloured Ice Blade in his right hand and pointed it at Natsu.

Behind Gray Death walked out from behind one of the pillars and looked right at Natsu though her eyes were glowing crimson red which threw Natsu off as she vanished behind the pillar opposite.

'What are they playing at?'

Natsu didn't have time to consider it as he was now blocking a strike from Gray using his half drawn sword with the impact cracking the floorboards around Natsu's feet.

"I don't want to fight you Gray!"

"Well that's great, keel over and die!"

Natsu pushed Gray back and drew his katana with Gray recovering quickly rushing towards Natsu who sighed and took a deep breath.

"Fine if this is really how you want it," Natsu growled as the two crossed blades once again only this time Gray punched him in the face without any prior warning throwing him off guard.

Natsu rolled out of the way as Gray performed a downward thrust though when the sword hit the ground a large pink icicle shot up from the point of impact.

"Shit that isn't good …"

Holding his sword above his head Natsu blocked another strike from Gray as the Ice Devil Slayer attempted to kick him in the face.

"Not this time Ice Prick," Natsu growled as he used his free arm to block Gray's kick and punch the ground where his other foot was throwing him off balance.

As Gray began to fall over Natsu rose to his feet quickly and kicked Gray in the back knocking him into the bar which caused Natsu to think back to the old guild brawls they had as kids where Natsu actually knocked Gray into the bar accidently.

"This is no time for that," Natsu said as he shook his head.

Gray emerged from the pile of shattered glass covered in alcohol but was tackled back into it by Natsu who had opted to sheath his sword and use what he was known best for.

The two began to exchange blows with each punch from the two having serious weight behind them, had Natsu still possessed his power this would have been a one sided struggle but without it they were dead even in terms of strength.

Gray landed a blow to Natsu's left cheek knocking him onto the counter and grabbed him by the head smashing almost every bottle within reach on his head which was now cut open and bleeding profusely.

Natsu grit his teeth and gathered up enough strength to force himself up despite Gray's grip head butting him knocking him back into the wall behind them, Natsu then began to smash Gray's head into the wall over and over again until there was a large hole in the solid wooden wall with blood splattered all around it.

The two continued to fight like this simply beating on each other until the other managed to gain an advantage and turn things around, the guild hall had been absolutely trashed with holes littering the area, the furniture all but destroyed and blood staining almost every wall, the floor and even the roof.

The two stood in the centre of the room where they had begun both drenched in their own and each other's blood as Natsu slowly began to advance on Gray.

"You have endurance I'll give you that Gray … but if you think I'm gonna let you get away with this shit then you've got another thing coming!"

Just as Natsu was about to reach Gray he was suddenly frozen in place with Gray beginning to laugh.

"That was pretty fun while it lasted but I think it's time to stop fooling around."

Natsu grit his teeth in pain and noticed the source of the pain was the pink ice from earlier which had now surrounded his feet immobilizing him.

"How does it feel Demon, Ice Devil Slayer Magic hurts Devils like you doesn't it? With this I can put an end to you and all the Demons like you!"

"Fuck … I was careless and got wrapped up in the moment," Natsu said through grit teeth as Gray began to walk towards him slowly.

Natsu noticed that all of Gray's wounds were now gone which surprised him since he clearly recalled doing some serious damage to him on several occasions, looking at him now Natsu could see something was definitely off but it wasn't until he saw those red eyes behind Gray that he began to piece things together.

"Could it be, eyesight an extremely fickle sense …"

Suddenly a marble flew out from behind Gray and hit Natsu on the forhead knocking him onto his back which didn't fare well for his feet and ankles which remained in place, Natsu however wasn't focused on the pain he should have been feeling because a million things were running through his head as he felt his connection begin to return.

"I feel it," Natsu said as he began to rise from the ground once more.

"You feel what Demon, Death closing in on you?"

"In a sense Gray, yes," Natsu said as he opened his eyes revealing the blood crimson ones of a Devil which made Gray pause in his advance.

Natsu's gaze wasn't fixed on Gray however but on the entity latched onto him positioned almost as if it were a second body of sorts.

"You," Natsu spat. "I should have realized sooner you were involved in all this!"

Gray looked at him confused but the being latched onto Gray looked at him in amusement.

"I told you before Natsu Dragneel I will always be there to remind you of your failures and demonstrate just how terrible you truly are," The Darkness said as he began to take his own form once again.

"I don't care if you torment me but leave everyone else out of it!"

"But they are a crucial piece of the game Dragneel you should know this better than anyone, I must say though I am surprised you gained your sight back so soon it does ruin the fun."

"My sight isn't the only thing I got back," Natsu growled as two black tendrils began to snake their way out of Natsu's back with his wounds beginning to heal themselves. "It might not be the full brunt of my power back but it's coming bit by bit!"

The tendrils smashed into the ice holding Natsu shattering it as Natsu assumed a more defensive stance.

"Now that I know Gray wasn't behind this I can go forward knowing that I was right in assuming there was more going on and not rushing off to take Gray out!"

"He is still under my influence Dragneel and even if you have gained control of your E.N.D abilities once more what use will it be against one who has the abilities to counter your own?"

"Do you honestly believe I've lived my life simply blowing past every obstacle I've ever had with little hindrance, I've been in more life or death situations than I can count doing so again isn't a big deal."

"A bold statement Dragneel but one that ultimately rings hollow for I know you better than you know yourself, within you lies pure unbridled hatred and rage culminating in the force known as E.N.D"

"If you believe that then you know nothing E.N.D was just like me before we merged and became one so I wouldn't badmouth him if I were you because in a way he's still listening in even now and wouldn't take kindly to your slandering of his name."

"Either way it does not matter for you will be forced to reveal your true nature in time, I currently possess the young man Gray and will force him to fight in my stead which means the only way to defeat me is to kill Gray Fullbuster."

"Now you see under normal circumstances that would be a pretty serious threat but there's something you failed to take into consideration in this big grand plan of yours, I'm Natsu Dragneel."

"Your self confidence will prove to be your undoing."

"I recall you saying something like that last time followed by me tearing your body to shreds, anyway I've had just about enough talking with you as I can stomach so I'll ask you this. Tell me why you sided with the Avatar Guild and what they are up to?"

The Darkness looked at Natsu with a calculating gaze before beginning to speak.

"I suppose it is of little consequence but the Avatar Guild is reviving one of the old ones," The Darkness said as the colour drained from Natsu's face.

"Which one?"

"The War Titan."

"Why?"

"To cause as much damage as it can before anyone can stop it, Lord Zeref knows you beat the Fire Titan in Draconia and sees little reason why you shouldn't be able to beat this one rather it's all just to make things easier for the invasion."

"So you would actually bring one of the old ones into our world once again just to screw around with a nation!"

"Yes."

The bluntness of the response angered Natsu but he kept his cool drawing his katana once again with the black tendrils appearing from his back once more.

"Why do you insist on messing with my life even when I'm already wanted by my own home for the crime of existing, why does Zeref want me and my friends to always suffer!"

"Perhaps you should simply hand yourself over to him Natsu Dragneel and serve him as it was originally intended after all without him you would not only be dead but you wouldn't have claim to the higher realms as a result of his gifts to you."

"Is that what this is …"

"Yes you have been given far too much freedom and it has distracted you from the ultimate goal of slaying Achnologia and paving the way for the ascension of the Alvarez Empire."

"If you think I'm gonna let Zeref live after all the shit he's done you've got another thing coming pal," Natsu growled as The Darkness merely observed him with no emotion.

"You are far too weak to face him."

"Yeah right now maybe but when I regain my full strength-!"

"You will still not match him."

"And how the hell would you know!"

"I always know when it comes to you as is my role."

"Your role, role to follow me around and hurt those closest to me or possess people I care about?"

"My role to ensure you succeed in your ultimate task is to mould you into a machine of war, the first step is to force you to cut ties with the very beings who you fool yourself into believing grant you your strength."

"Just what the hell are you!"

"I've said it before Natsu Dragneel I am you."

"But what does that even mean!"

"What it means is entirely up to you however it seems you do not have the time to ponder such questions seeing as you are in the middle of a battle," The Darkness said as the real Gray tried to cleave him in two with his Ice Devil Sword with it being blocked by Natsu.

Natsu grit his teeth feeling power behind the attack Gray should not be capable of creating as the black tendrils on his back intercepted two snow versions of Gray swatting them away, pushing back agaist Gray he looked into the eyes of the Ice Mage and was shocked to see life in them.

'Fear!'

"Gray I'll get you out of this I swear I won't let Zeref get his way!"

"More promises you will fail to keep just as you have done before, to trust in you would be to sign one's own death warrant."

"You clearly don't know me as well as you think you do then plenty of people trust in me and I've done them just fine!"

"But not all."

"Because life doesn't work that way and I learned that the hard way," Natsu snapped as he saw a flicker of hope in Gray's eyes. "I beat you once both physically and psychologically and Gray could do the same too, you hear me Ice Prick this thing tries to break your mind you've got to fight back!"

Natsu felt the force behind the blade falter for a brief moment however it didn't do much in the grand scheme of things but that didn't matter to Natsu because it told him all he needed, Gray was fighting back.

It was a huge weight of his chest knowing Gray wasn't really behind any of this though after the whole mess is sorted he may become like Jellal just another victim of Dark Magic all in the name of Zeref but that didn't matter right now what mattered was that Gray needed his help and he knew just how to give it.

"Alright Ice Prick you'd better be grateful for this since I'm not supposed to do this for humans let alone a Devil Slayer," Natsu said with grit teeth as his eyes glowed blood crimson as he smashed his forehead against Gray's with their eyes locked firmly onto each others. "Look into my eyes Gray gaze beyond the flames and feel the tug of the higher magic …"

/Mindscape/

It felt strange at first when he felt a feeble tug to his own mind but as soon as he felt it Natsu's own began following it until he found the source, between the two minds lay an impossible divider wall made up of fire and ice with a sickly looking Gray slumped against the wall as if he was on his last legs.

"Gray you've got to get up!"

"Can't … too weak …"

"You've managed to survive this long Gray I can free you but you need to trust me!"

"Like you trusted us to know about E.N.D," Gray replied with more strength in his voice than before.

"You know why I never said anything the result was obvious."

Gray seemed to ponder what he was saying as he dragged himself up to a semi standing position on the ice wall; looking at Natsu he gave him a small smile.

"This is my fault you know …"

"Gray no-."

"Just shut up and listen Natsu, after the others came back Erza gave me the Devil Slayer lacrima from my father and said you went off somewhere so I asked her why didn't anyone try to stop you and they looked at me as if they thought I was scum for saying something like that and it made me mad. I look back on what followed as childish because that's how I've always acted, childish."

"Listen Gray you don't need to-."

"I do have to say this Natsu because I let that thing possess me! After talking with the others I got mad and went to go train desperate to get stronger to take you down but no matter how hard I trained I knew I stood no chance even with my Ice Devil Slayer abilities which is when that thing came to me. It told me about the things you did in Scarlione, showed me memories of you in a small town on the Alvarez border …"

Natsu turned away from Gray surprising the Ice Make Mage as a look of extreme guilt and shame crossed his face.

"You marched across the border and butchered an entire town leaving nothing but ashes, not even the kids were spared, When I saw that I knew you were evil killing innocent kids and stuff but as time went on and I saw more of what you did through it I stopped for a moment and thought what would your reason be to do such things since even the Demons of Tartaros had a reason to do the atrocities they did which is when I saw them."

"The Commanders of Alvarez, The Spriggan and Leichart 12 right," Natsu sighed as Gray nodded.

"I don't believe half the stuff I was shown was intentional or not but I saw something through your eyes that made me second guess myself, you were with some girl called Alicia or something and an old warlock looking guy I can't remember his name and the three of you were hiding outside a town with no help for miles. Watching the town you saw the townspeople killed and replaced with replicas and it was what you said then that made me realize the mistake I made."

"They empty out the organs, blood and meat from the body leaving only flesh, refill the body with as much unstable magic as they can and once the enemy draws too close they activate and boom," Natsu said with a hard look in his eye. "Of course I didn't really know the Leichart 12 were a thing back then but looking back on it now it sounds like something they'd be involved in."

"My whole perspective of you flipped that day I would spend my time wondering how you were able to remain so normal after seeing horrible things like that, to be able to screw around with the rest of the guild all the while being a veteran of war? It was after I thought of that I realized maybe I shouldn't try and kill you maybe I should just beat you up and talk to you first but this thing had its hooks into me too deep by then and well you can see the results," Gray sighed as he motioned to his half of the strange mindscape that was flooded with a black cloud which was slowly encroaching on the remaining ice portion left with the weakened Gray.

"No one else knows about what I saw in Alvarez, we weren't supposed to even be there but Illyandra made us go to see if it was possible to strike at the Emperor himself. We got three towns in before we pulled out since they kept killing off their own people and setting them up as bombs or in the case of that one village you saw fooled us into believing so. I never wanted anyone to know what happened there because to kill a child means by all rights I should be dead yet I live on knowing every day I took part in such an atrocity."

"Back outside when you were looking into my eyes you said you knew how this thing worked did it get you too?"

"Yeah it was why I lost control and let my power run rampant destroying the Demons of Tartaros, seeing Wendy as she was pushed me over the edge and sent me into a frenzy not only because I loved her like a daughter but because she was just a child and once again I had failed to protect her as I should have done."

"So that's why you got so mad both times Wendy got hurt …"

"I'm not a monster Gray as hard as it might be to believe; yes I should have told everyone what I really was and had a little faith in their judgement. Seeing everyone get hurt in a battle is hard but seeing kids get hurt pains me even more with the only exception being if Erza was hurt bad enough, but enough about this for now we don't have much time our bodies are fighting each other on autopilot and at any moment they could kill one of us."

"Yeah I guess you're right Natsu it'll just take me awhile to get used to what you are given my hatred towards Demons in general, so what do I do to push back the darkness?"

"Luckily for me once the Devils gave me control I had time to slowly push it back to the furthest reaches of my mind while doing other things and it's the main reason I left really, not wanting to snap into another bout of blind rage I decided it was best to help out Xicor with something we'd been putting off for awhile-."

"Natsu I'm sure the story is fascinating but the dark clouds are closing in so could you do story time after we push this stuff back?"

"Ah right sorry your right; alright this next part is a bit risky so just stay still alright?"

Natsu walked up to the divide between the two and with the glow in his eyes becoming considerably brighter Natsu began to walk through the dividing wall between them and stood in front of Gray.

"Did you just enter my mind?"

"Yeah it's not that hard with these eyes," Natsu said casually as he turned to face the encroaching dark clouds. "You know I can't do anything about these right it has to be you?"

"Then why'd you come over here?"

"To give you the means to fight back idiot, we are in what is known as your mindscape and normally you can't come here unless there is another being held within you or you train specifically to do so. You currently aren't in control of your own body so you ended up here but the black clouds represent The Darkness' possession of you mind, body and soul being almost complete."

"So how do I fight back?"

"Where did I just say we were Gray?"

"Inside my mindscape?"

"Yeah I did say that and how would that help you beat The Darkness?"

"I already tried willing it to go away it didn't work."

"No that's not what I meant Gray though if this performance is anything to go by you might not have enough brain to do anything …"

"Hey," Gray shouted as he tried to stand but being too frail he slumped back against the icy barrier.

"Your brain Gray you use your brain, where we are holds every single memory you can consciously remember, every thought, every feeling, every single thing that makes you who you are is stored here and makes up this icy place."

"Are you saying I have a memory to help save me," Gray asked as Natsu nodded slowly.

"Specifically any memories or emotions that counter those The Darkness used to first possess you, in here with access to all those you are the master not him."

"But how do I use them to drive it back, what did you have to do?"

"Acceptance," Natsu said as Gray looked at him confused. "I had to come to terms with the deaths I caused, the lives I could and could not have saved, the lives that I would inevitably take or break in the future. I had to accept what I was and what I will inevitably be to all in this world … a weapon."

"He's right you know Gray," a new voice chimed in as Natsu pointed to a small section of the ice that was pink instead of blue.

"You aren't alone Gray you have others you can rely on you just need to find them."

Gray turned from Natsu to the pink ice and was surprised to see someone staring back at him who was an almost ideal replica to him.

"This can't be …"

"Pull yourself together Gray just as you have so many times before, I don't know how you ended up in this mess but you did and now it's time to get yourself out. You know who I am Gray so I won't bore you with the details but a part of me was left inside the lacrima. The Ice Devil Slayer Magic didn't need a lacrima to pass over but I wanted to make sure corruption from a dark entity never happened to you though it seems I wasn't smart enough to make a countermeasure for something this powerful."

"Dad why won't you and Natsu just give me the answers to drive it back!"

"Because we can't Gray because it's your mind, Natsu pointed you in the right direction in saying that the memories or emotions that allowed The Darkness to possess you will be the key factor in all this. You have a mind Gray and its high time you put it to good use your mother always said you were the smart one after all."

Natsu flickered for a moment as Gray turned to him looking quite worried with Natsu raising a hand to calm him.

"I've been in here too long I'm gonna have to go back and fight, Gray your mind is the only thing capable of defeating The Darkness since it isn't corporeal. The thing uses mind games and deceit to fool you into doubting yourself long enough to take hold, use the memories and bend them to your advantage," Natsu shouted as he flickered away leaving Gray alone inside his mind with only the tiny pink patch of ice to help him.

/Outside The Mindscape/

Natsu was greeted to a rain of pink ice shards, the fight had somehow made its way outside with the two now duking it out in the streets.

"Well at least the guild hall won't get torn up more than it already is," Natsu sighed as he sent several tendrils out which impaled several snow duplicates of Gray into the walls.

Raising his katana Natsu blocked a series of swift sword strikes from the real Gray before summoning tendrils from the ground in an effort to restrain him, the tendrils did indeed restrain Gray but The Darkness simply let out a monotonous chuckle.

"You forget Dragneel my host possesses Devil Slayer Magic."

Natsu ran towards the nearest wall shoulder charging his way through as the entire street was suddenly filled with spikes of pink ice, rolling in order to regain his footing Natsu blocked another strike from Gray keeping him on one knee.

"His mind will be mine Dragneel I have had him for far too long, Lord Zeref knew you were bound to return here and upon said return you would bear witness to yet another failure."

'I can't actively hit Gray now that I know he's trying to fight back but if I don't the bastard could get a lucky hit in, what to do …'

"No strategy will save you Dragneel you must submit to Lord Zeref's will or be destroyed."

"How about neither and you fade back into nothingness," Natsu growled back as he pushed Gray's sword back and quickly gained some distance by jumping out a second story window onto the roof across the street.

"I shall only fade into nothingness when you do Dragneel for my task is not complete until you are brought to heel or destroyed."

Natsu just shook his head at the repeated rhetoric and continued to defend himself from countless snow copies of Gray and the possessed one.

/Gray's Mindscape/

"I don't think I can do this," Gray sighed as he leant up against the ice barrier watching the dark clouds creep closer.

"You have the tools Gray you just don't know how to properly use them yet, I can offer you this hint though you have already made a small step towards reclaiming your mind."

"And what exactly is that step?"

"Think about where we are and what is in this place Gray and you'll understand."

Gray began to ponder what his father said as the clouds continued to slowly drift in melting the ice as it did so.

"Wait a minute," Gray said as he swiftly turned to his father who smiled at him. "YOU, YOU SHOULDN'T BE HERE!"

"Correct Gray, fear brought the fragment of my soul within the lacrima to surface placing me within your mindscape because you wanted someone to help you. The thing is the Gray that summoned me wasn't the Gray who is fighting against a being of absolute darkness no the Gray who called me was a little boy terrified of Demons both inner and outer."

"So if I managed to bring you here then that must mean I can do more right?"

"Try thinking of another who you know cares for you a great deal and see what happens?"

"Well I-I don't really have anyone else at least not anymore …"

"Fool you have plenty of people you simply refuse to admit it, do what Natsu told you and scan your memories!"

Gray sighed and began to think about anyone who would still give a shit about him when it suddenly occurred to him there was one.

"Juvia!"

Gray's thoughts of the Water Mage summoned a version of her from his memories that was several years younger, the two had not seen each other for some time but it at this point it wasn't the appearance that mattered.

"Gray my darling is this the real you?"

"Yeah it is," Gray sighed as the memory Juvia knelt down and cupped his cheek.

"You found the strength to fight Gray you must follow through with it or risk losing everything you hold dear."

"Will you help me free my mind?"

"I can only do so much Gray it is ultimately up to you how to proceed, being only a memory of Juvia allows me access to your own memories and I can tell Natsu has already told you how to beat this thing."

"I have to come to terms with what I've done and move on right?"

"Now you understand how you need to do it what are you going to do, the clouds are coming closer and your mind is beginning to submit?"

"Do as the flame brain said I guess," Gray sighed. "I'm gonna have to come to terms with my decisions and life in order to move on free of this thing."

"And where would you begin Gray?"

"I don't know at the beginning I guess?"

"How about what caused this whole mess in the first place instead?"

"Why that specifically?"

"Because it holds the most influence over you second only to your festering hatred over all things Demon."

"Then shouldn't I focus on the Demon thing?"

"Gray look your hatred of Demons is actually justified you just go about it the wrong way, Natsu was someone who you knew and not once did he show signs of being out to take away everything from you again. The hatred may blind you but even Natsu understands that it is a part of who you are, rather than let go of such hatred you must instead accept that not all Demons are the same mindless beasts as Deliora."

"Look I'm just getting more and more confused just tell me what to do!"

Silver grit his teeth at his son's outburst before sighing.

"You simply don't understand it seems how to defeat that which is a part of your very being, the instinct to hate and the instinct to despise. Unfortunately I wasn't able to be there for you to teach you these things Gray as I should have been however entrusting you to Natsu will be the only option to save you."

"What are you talking about?"

"Natsu is above us Gray his mind is of a higher frequency so to speak, he keeps himself grounded by allowing his emotions to rule him and fuel the fire within. He is a being that if necessary could shut off all emotion in order to complete any objective but chooses not to because it would break everything he ever stood for or so that dark thing believes anyway. To beat The Darkness Natsu for the briefest of moments performed this action which caused the instant expulsion of it-."

"Knocking it out because there was nothing it could cling onto to bind it there," Gray finished as Silver nodded.

"You did not have the same advantage Natsu had in this regard at least not until my lacrima was placed within you."

"I don't get it how does that help?"

"What is Natsu Gray?"

"A Demon?"

"Incorrect," Silver replied as Gray looked at him confused.

"Yeah he is he's E.N.D isn't he?"

"He is E.N.D but he represents our world in a higher position, tell me Gray do you honestly believe I gave you this lacrima for no reason?"

"Wait so he really is a Devil then, Devil of what?"

"The Great Demon Lord Natsu Dragneel, Devil who resides over all things Demonic," Silver said as Gray's eyes widened at the revelation of just what Natsu really was.

"I knew he was an important Demon but to be that high up …"

"Mard Geer used to curse his very name because he desired the position for the power that it entailed, the power of Devil's Aura."

"What's Devil's Aura?"

"You remember when Natsu's eyes went that crimson red colour and suddenly he was doing things no normal being should be able to do like entering your mind?"

"The red aura, the crimson eyes of a Devil?"

"You have the power of a Devil too now Gray though nowhere near as potent as Natsu's it shall still serve you well; The Darkness has hidden this fact from you for one important reason. One cannot see The Darkness without the eyes of either the Gods or Devils, Natsu must have realized this and tried to help you see this yourself."

"So this Devil's Aura can help me push The Darkness out of my mind?"

"Since you have never used it before the goal will be to simply shut off all emotion for a fleeting moment banishing it from you entirely, afterward you should focus on training to better use it to prevent such a thing from occurring ever again."

"So how do I access it then?"

"I don't know I was never able to do it, Natsu must have dropped hints when he was in here though and I doubt that your body didn't realize that Devil's Aura had been used here when Natsu entered your mind so perhaps it may help to try and isolate the feeling of it and try to replicate it?"

"This mind stuff is really weird, stuff to do with Gods and Devils even more so. Maybe when Natsu said I have to accept everything I've done it is a way of accessing it?"

"Only one way to find out Gray," Silver said as Gray began to sit in a meditative position and review the concept of Demons within his mind.

'I really wish I could just tell him how to do this its killing me to see my own son head towards death like this, you'd better save my son Natsu or I'll claw my way back up from hell and gut you myself!'

/Outside Gray's Mindscape/

As Natsu danced around Gray's sword he noticed that for the briefest of moments there was a tinge of Devil's Aura around him, his eyes darted to The Darkness who hadn't seemed to have picked up on the aura which only made him inwardly grin.

'So you managed to figure it out eh Gray, mind games and droning on about feelings and other seemingly pointless stuff may seem inconsequential but once you experience the aura for yourself you'll understand why you must be firmly past such things. Hopefully you figure out how to use it before you disappear though.'

As Natsu blocked a strike from Gray he saw a massive blue blast tear up a section of the forest near the city, on one hand he wanted to grin like an idiot but given the current situation he could only frown.

'Why are you throwing around the God's Aura like that Elise now isn't the time?'

Turning his attention back to his fight Natsu saw a shift in Gray's eyes that didn't go unnoticed by The Darkness.

"Na…tsu…!"

'Has he accepted it, no he's still possessed clearly but he's actually starting to fight back!'

The Darkness didn't appear to be so confident anymore as he began to shake in the air screaming about resistance being futile in the face of Zeref.

"Don't listen to him Gray keep it up!"

After blocking several more strikes which had begun to lose strength behind the blows the possessed Gray faltered and dropped to one knee gripping his head.

"NATSU …. BACK …. NOW!"

Feeling a sudden surge of magic all around him Natsu turned and ran as fast as he could with Gray screaming in pain, diving into a nearby shop a powerful blast of raw magic went off which stopped the blizzard that had been raging throughout the town.

Poking his head out the destroyed window was unnecessary as Natsu could feel exactly what had happened, looking at Gray the black scar like markings seemed much more prominent with the eye colour near the scarred eye being the same crimson red as his own eyes.

Running over to Gray the Ice Mage looked at him with a small smile.

"Why couldn't you just tell me I had to overcome my anger so it didn't consume me when I used the Devil's Aura, actually why didn't you just tell me to just use Devil's Aura in the first place?"

"Because you can't Gray it isn't something that works that way, I wanted to tell you but I simply couldn't, it's like Elise getting her God's Aura it just kind of happened," Natsu replied as they both turned their attention to The Darkness who seemed angry much to Natsu's amusement.

"Well well looks like you get to run back to Alvarez with your cloak between your legs now doesn't it?"

"This isn't amusing in the slightest Dragneel Lord Zeref will be most displeased, displeased enough to kill our newest prisoner perhaps?"

Gray looked to Natsu and saw only the slightest trace of emotion on his face but made no comment.

"Leave this place," Natsu commanded as The Darkness faded into nothing leaving the two alone.

Gray dropped to his knees unable to sustain the aura any longer with the black scar like markings fading back to his chest.

"Looks like you need to work on sustaining that," Natsu sighed as he left his own Devil's Aura and walked over to Gray and sat down. "Are you gonna be alright he gets into your head and does things so if there is anything you wanna talk about-?"

"I will Natsu just-just give me a bit alright," Gray sighed as Natsu gave him a stiff nod in return. "Any idea who this prisoner is?"

At this question Natsu simply looked over towards the guild hall before sighing.

"I can't confirm this but I reckon its gramps," Natsu said as Gray looked at him with a mixture of both shock and horror.

"Don't tell me they actually took him!"

"I don't know Gray but I'm gonna have to go and find out," Natsu replied as Gray looked at him worried.

"Are you sure you'll be alright doing that Natsu I know how-?"

"I have no choice Gray I have to save gramps, everyone else was quick to condemn me with the exception of a few when word got out what I really am and gramps was one of those few people who had faith in me."

"Listen Natsu I'm sorry I should've had more faith in you."

"How about action instead of words Gray, clean up the mess you caused with the guild while I go get back the old man."

"If that's what it'll take to make it up to you then consider it done."

"Also help Laxus and Jellal scope out the Avatar Guild from what I've heard they have plans to revive something that even I can't handle at my current strength."

"The War Titan I know," Gray sighed as Natsu slowly got to his feet.

"I'm gonna take Erza, Elise and Wendy with me since I highly doubt they'll let me go alone, Mira probably wants to stay with Laxus so join up with them and do what you can to bring back everyone else."

Just as Natsu said that the rest of the group ran towards Natsu from several different directions with Erza making a beeline for Gray until she was stopped by Natsu.

"Gray is not to be punished."

"Are you kidding me he tried to kill us!"

"That thing that possessed me got to him in order to strike at me," Natsu replied as Elise began looking around.

"I don't see it anywhere?"

"Gray unlocked the Devil's Aura and banished it from his body," Natsu replied.

"It was at a cost though, my Dad used the last remaining bit of his soul to push it right out since I wasn't strong enough to do it myself."

"Sorry to hear that Gray," Natsu said sincerely as Gray nodded.

"Listen I know what I did under that things influence was wrong and it'll take a lot to make up for it but I plan to start right away by doing as Natsu said."

"You'd better not be running off again Natsu," Erza said in a very unnerving tone that made everyone except Natsu take a step back.

"No Erza I'm not … but we are, I have reason to believe that Master Makarov has been captured by the Alvarez Empire which means we have to go get him back."

This garnered several gasps from the gathered mages until Elise spoke up.

"But how are we supposed to get him back you don't even have your powers?"

"I managed to get back my Devil's Aura and my E.N.D related abilities, Fire would have been the best one to get back but it seems my powers will slowly trickle back to me."

"So where exactly do we go from here," Erza asked as Natsu adopted a thinking pose.

"If gramps is captured he'd be held in the capital so we'll be heading into the heart of the Alvarez Empire at least by my guess."

"What about the Avatar Guild," Mira pointed out as Natsu nodded.

"As I said to Gray earlier the two of you will go help Laxus, Jellal and the rest of Crime Sorciere and stopping them."

"Can you open up a portal to Alvarez or are we going the old fashioned way?"

"Old fashioned way I'm afraid I wanted to open a portal but that portion of my Devil's Aura seems to be missing still, so by boat unfortunately."

"Well then we'd better get going sounds like it'll be a long journey," Wendy said with as much cheer as she could muster as Natsu ruffled her hair much to her annoyance. "Hey I'm not a kid anymore Natsu don't do that!"

"You're still a kid to me Wendy, a kid that could uproot a forest but a kid nonetheless."

"Jerk!"

Wendy turned away from him as Natsu raised an eyebrow to the other three girls who were all giggling.

"What I don't get it?"

"You'll figure it out I'm sure Natsu," Elise said as Natsu tilted his head still confused.

"He's hopeless Elise just leave him," Mira said as she yanked Gray up off the ground and dragged him off down towards the guild hall.

"Hey what'd I do," Natsu shouted as everyone began to laugh at his expense.

"Don't bother Natsu it's just a teenager thing," Erza said with a hint of amusement in her voice walking off with the others leaving Natsu to ponder just what she meant.

Ok so here is how the next few arcs work for anyone wondering why I haven't done Avatar yet:

The Arc I Just Finished (Feel Free To Toss Ideas For A Name)

Alvarez Empire Arc

Avatar Arc

I figured bringing back the War Titan is a pretty big deal so having all characters up to a certain standard was key and with Natsu still recovering his abilities he isn't strong enough yet to face such a threat.

And I know you'll all be like but Azza how is Alvarez any better and my answer to that is you'll see, also expect some really cool things from Erza, Elise and Wendy in the next few chapters.

Hope you enjoyed and I'll see you in the next one!