"Have you lost your mind, Natsu?! Threatening the council, the one power to disband our guild. What were you thinking?!"

Natsu rolled his eyes, disregarding the anger boiling off his master. "Let's be honest here, Gramps. They had that coming for a long time," he leaned forward in his seat with a small scowl. "How many times have they tried disbanding us? Tried everything in their power to break us apart because we are the "problem" in this world? Hell! They sent Mest to infiltrate the trials so they could bring us down." He crossed his arms over his chest. "They never cared about our guild, only a select few of their council did, but they are either dead or retired."

Makarov rubbed his temples, feeling more wrinkles form by the minute by Natsu's disregard of the consequences that could follow from this. "That's not the point, Natsu. The council is the upper power of this world, a government that rules over us all. Yes, Queen Hisuei has just as much control but not with legal guilds, not with the law. Your threat may of just doomed us all."

Erza sat quietly next to Natsu, listening to the two bicker back and forth. Her eyes watched out the window of their train. After leaving the council building, not much was said between the two as they boarded their train. She could still feel the residential heat that radiated off of Natsu. He was beyond angry with the council, but all in all so was she. Back then if he had pulled a stunt like that, she would've reprimanded him right then and there. But things were different, much different. Even if the council would retaliate, what would they hope to gain? Their focus should've been on this new threat on the world, not Natsu.

It took everything inside the knight not to make her own outburst at the accusations thrown at her boyfriend. He was risking his life to protect the people of Fiore, and what did he get in return? Nothing but slander against his name, false accusations that drew forth no evidence against the claim.

"You saw them in that room, Gramps." A small mischievous grin cracked across Natsu's lips. "They were afraid of me, afraid of what I'd do if they retaliate. I've put them all in a corner, and caused disorder within their ranks. Jura has my side on this and so do many others. If anything, I've swatted the council off our backs."

Another exasperated sigh escaped the old man's lips as he leaned back in his seat, crossing his hands over his lap. His face crinkled in annoyance of this whole situation. Yes, he was angry that the council would accuse his children of such a heinous act. Fairy Tail has defended this world from the forces of darkness for years, exterminating them with the power of their righteous light. He swallowed hard, turning his tired gaze back towards Natsu who's eyes never his.

"For our sake, boy... I hope you're right. I'm getting too old for this crap."

The slayer's expression softened with his lips curving into a frown with a small nod. "I understand, Gramps. Don't worry.. I'll take on the whole world if it means defending Fairy Tail. You can bet your life on that."

Erza and Makarov both couldn't help but both crack a smile at the passion leaking off his words. Natsu was one thing nobody could extinguish. A passionate flame that never went out, no matter how much water attacked his pyre. He stood strong, confident in the face of anything or everything that threatened his family. If Makarov could put it simply. He was the heart of the guild, no possible doubts in his mind could change that fact.

Natsu glanced up towards his hud with a bitter scowl. He turned towards Erza, leaning over to capture her luscious lips for a moment, catching the knight off guard. He pulled away with an apologetic smile, caressing her pristine white skin. "I must go for a while, my love. I will return to you in four hours."

"N-natsu what do you me-"

When her eyes blinked, he was gone, vanished from his seat as her hand felt empty without his warm palm.

Makarov stood straight up in his seat with wide eyes, jaw slightly slacked.

"Where the hell did he go?!"

A harsh wind blew against Natsu's face as he landed ankle deep into a mountain of snow. He growled under his breath, glancing around at the non-existent wasteland around him. "Been a while..." he mumbled, taking a couple steps throught the heaping snow with a grunt. "Deeper than I remember it."

His sweater and scarf flapped voilently against the glacier wind. Natsu raised his head to see a familiar message with a small sigh. "Let's get this shit over with."

The ground shook violently, an ear piercing roar escaping the raging storm around him. Instead of feeling a cold tingle run down his spine, he simply turned his head with a lazy side glance. A shadow loomed over him, grinning ear to ear with a sickly crimson gaze that pierced through the fog.

"Human has returned to be smashed!"

"Suuuure..." Natsu mused, facing his body entirely in the beast's direction with a bright toothy grin. "I've come to get smashed alright, only this time you might be surprised who will be buried in the ground first."

The Vulvern's eye twitched at his insult, a small growl escaping the hybrid creature. He reeled his fist back, cracking his scaley knuckles before sending it barreling towards Natsu who stood in the same spot with a bored expression.

Its fist made contact, a small shock wave, sending snow around the area in a small flurry. Glancing down at its prey, suddenly eyes shooting wide open.

Natsu stood there, his palm outstretched as he caught the beast's fist with a feral grin. His eyes glowed in a crimson light, staring deeply into the Vulvern's soul that made the monster feel the one thing, it hated most.

Fear.

"Did you really think I'd let you beat me around like last time? You and your friends." Natsu's voice rumbled the very ground they stood under as he looked around, noticing many more shadows make their guestly appearances.

The beast tried prying its closed fist from Natsu's grasp with every muscle fiber. A vice grip squeezed around its palm with a sickening crack that caused the beast to howl out in pain. Crimson flames erupted from Natsu's body, melting away the snow from underneath his feet. With enough heat to produce a raging flame, the fog cleared away, revealing many beasts that stood in the distance, looming over the slayer with the intent to destroy.

Natsu shoved the creature away, making it fall on its back with a loud thud. He raised his palm as a blade of draconic design, burning brightly with blue fire appeared in his grasp. "This time... this time I will show you creatures no mercy."

Many roars split the ground in two against Natsu's challenge. He gave them one last stare, before digging his heel into the dirt, clenching onto his blade tightly. Like a bell had rung off, all creatures took on all fours as Natsu tore off the ground, leaping into the air, angling his sword in a downward thrust that sent him careening towards the downed fiend. He made contact, impaling straight through the beast's throat, its scales cracking underneath the pressure of a harsh flame.

Blood spurted out, splashing Natsu directly in the face. With a howl of agony, eyes glazing over its body grew still as a board, unmoving. Natsu slowly turned towards the other creatures that looked like pack of rabid dogs about to maul his body apart. Wasting no time, he jumped off the beast's corspe, breaking into a full sprint. Flames trailed behind his form as his blade carved against the ground, uprooting the dirt from beneath.

Snow melted under the harsh heat that nearly blinded the creatures in front of him. Natsu leaped into the air, curving his body across a fist that flew past his face. He flipped his sword, impaling directly into the creature's chest with a small crack. The Vulvern fell to the ground as Natsu tightened his hold, carving upwards across its body, across its face that split open against the cut.

He shared no hesitation in his movement, leaping off the still beast with an emotionless gaze. In a way he had grown numb to the feeling of killing, after all it was either them or him. They weren't human, they were beasts, intent on his own death. Natsu watched blood grow in puddles across the ground as his blade made quick work of many more threats, giving them no opportunity, no chance against his raging fire. As mage of Fairy Tail, a mage that was intended to bathe in the light of Mavis. Natsu shared a room with darkness in its purest form, feeling the very gaze of his brother Zeref watching over him with a deep frown of the path his little brother has taken. Howls escaped the open air, making the ground shake from many giant corpses that hit the ground with a sickening crack.

Crimson flames raged out of Natsu's body, blowing away the very storm that surrounded the area. He came to a sliding halt, noticing many more Vulverns spawn in the distance, awaiting their turn with the slayer. He looked down at his blade that hummed in his grasp, before letting it dissapear in a burst of flames.

Natsu raised his arms as his flames reacted, swallowing his body, leaving nothing but a walking entity of fire standing before the beasts. He crossed his arms together, tensing his body as a crimson aura surrounded his form. The ground cracked and split apart. The sky turned a sickly blood red the bathed the world in darkness. Fire erupted from the ground in multiple pillars that devoured some of the unsuspecting creatures.

"The path I walk is covered in ashes... burn in an eternal hell."

Natsu's voice echoed like a looming god, a god that was about to smite all that defied his very rule.

Glaring daggers at the world in front of him, he spoke one last word.

Cataclysm Hellfire

He swiped his arms outward, a blinding explosion erupting from his body that tore the very ground beneath him. A blinding light scorched the while area, until there was nothing left. Everything living or not.

Had been burnt to ash.

Erza and Makarov returned to the guild with somber expressions. Gray tried asking where Natsu was, but was given no response to his concern. She had a good idea of where he went, cursing under her breath. The conversation both Natsu and her shared over his powers, the quests he must complete or else he would penalized for his failures. She took a seat at the bar, running her gauntlets through her ruely scarlet locks.

Mira noticed the somber knight, frowning in concern. She walked over to rest her elbows on the counter, looking into Erza's glassy eyes. "Hey, what happened in Era? Where's Natsu? They didn't... arrest him did they?"

Erza rubbed her eyes that threatened to leak, taking on a more stoney expression to hide the raging emotions underneath. "They didn't, but Natsu wasn't quite... cooperative with the situation," she muttered under her breath, her eyes glued to her hands that shook in her grasp.

"Not really a surprise there," The bar maid mused with a small giggle. "You know Natsu, never was one to follow the law, let alone obey it's rules."

Her expression only grew more grim, not finding the humor in her words. "He... he threatened the council..."

Mira's eyes shot wide open, feeling something become lodged in her throat. "W-what?!"

"Quiet down!" Erza seethed through clenched teeth, noticing many looking in their direction in confusion. "Yes... he threatened the council. They spewed every idiotic accusation against him, trying to make him out to be some damn criminal," she gently slammed her fist on the bar top, clenching her fist into a tight hold. "It was deplorable... the nerve of them to accuse someone who has done nothing but save their unruly hides from death over and over again... when will Natsu finally get the rest he rightfully deserves?" Her voice croaked out the last sentence in a shaky breath, feeling tears on the corners of her vision. "W-when will he be free from being the hero someone always needs?"

Mira's heart about broke apart, hearing the hopelessness and despair leak off her rivals every word. She clenched the hem of her dress, biting her lip with a heavy breath. That was a better question than any. But yet no matter how long she stood there, staring down at the broken knight who desperately wanted some kind of answer to her problems, an answer could never leave her lips. Usually if anyone from the guild came to her with any problems that may bother them, or maybe they just needed someone to listen she would do it without hesitation.

Everyone had their fair share of problems in this guild. That's what made Fairy Tail special, a place of where children find their own family, a family they believed they lost. Most members suffered a loss in some kind of way, but no more so than Natsu. He had been through so much in short amounts of time, scars that defiled his tan complexion. But yet he never stopped smiling, grinning even. He smiled when they lost Lisanna, smiled when Erza beat him in every brawl, smiled through every tradegy Fairy Tail ever suffered. Even Alvarez when everyone lost faith, Natsu stomped their doubts immediately.

A deathly silence surrounded the two women who couldn't say one word to another. Mira's chest tightened, her dry lips cracking open to speak with hesitation in her own words.

"I... I don't know."

Erza didn't respond, only turning her head with a side glance towards Draconis who sat in a cross legged position. His eyes never left that door, awaiting his masters return. Suddenly, out of the corner of her eye she noticed a small little girl with a cowboy hat approach the draconic knight. A look of unease spread across Erza's face who immediately stood up from her seat. Mira followed along with her with wide eyes.

Before the two could make another step, Makarov's hand blocked their path.

"M-master what are you-"

"Just watch you two," the old man spoke in a stern tone, directing his gaze to the moment before them. "You might just be surprised by the results."

With furrowed brows, cracking into frowns they watched the interaction.

"Asuka, honey!" Bisca called to her daughter, quickly moving across the room before her body was stopped by her husband, Alzack. "Alzack, what are you doing?!"

Her husband smiled, pointing towards their little girl. "Watch our little girl do her magic."

Bisca frowned deeply at her husband's words, not trusting that... thing that sat in the corner ever since Natsu returned from his mission. "He lays one claw on her..."

"Trust me my hands are on my hip," Alzack responded, feeling the handle of his pistol, cocking it back just in case.

Draconis watched as the small human approached him. She tilted her cowboy hat up with a curios expression. She provided the knight the brightest innocent smile he ever laid his eyes upon. "Are you uncle Natsu's new friend?" She asked, tilting her head slightly, clicking her boots together.

Friend, a word his master had used before. He never had friends, nor would he dream of the day he would. Draconis nodded his head, watching as the little cowgirl's face split into a wide grin. She jumped in glee, drawing closer to the knight with a warm smile.

"Uncle Natsu is the best isn't he? A big bad dragon who takes on the bad guys without a sweat!" She raised her hands, imitating the sound of explosions and fire that surrounded her form in pretend.

The dragon knight tilted his head curiously, watching as the little girl imitated his master. The pure innocence radiating off this little girl brought a warmth in the bottom of his chest. Without hesitation, he reached out his clawed gauntlet, grabbing a hold of the little girl who squeaked in surprise.

"Asuka!"

Asuka was gently placed in the knight's lap, reaching down to pat the little girl's head with a small rumble. She giggled in glee, loving the attention being provided to her.

Erza, Mira, Bisca and Alzack relaxed their bodies, smiles coming to their lips. Draconis continued to pat Asuka's head affectionately, smiling underneath his helmet.

Growing curious, she raised her head to meet the knight's gaze. "Are you a dragon underneath all that armor? Can I see? Pleeeeeease!"

Draconis stopped his patting, retracting his hand from her. He turned his head, clenching his gauntlet into a fist as his body shook. The little girl frowned, reaching out to take a hold of the knight's arm with a bright smile. "Even if you are, that makes you ten times cooler!" She beamed with a big grin across her lips.

A small groan escaped his lips, looking down on the little girl. Would he satiate her curiosity? Or risk tears falling from her eyes that would surely have the entirety of Fairy Tail baring down on him. Weighing them out, he chose the second as his clawed gauntlets reached for his helmet to slowly pull it off off his head. Asuka and all of Fairy Tail watched in anticipation as the knight removed his helmet.

Underneath, bore a large snout, fangs lining the edges of his lips. Demonic horns protruded from the side of his head, along with crimson scaley skin that glowed in the light. Draconis slowly lowered his head towards Asuka's eyes who sparkled in pure fascination. She slowly reached up to touch the Dragon's cheek, stroking the very scales that tickled her fingers. She was left breathless.

Draconis's red slitted eyes watched her every move, softening under her touch. He leaned against her hand, closing his eyes in content.

The whole guild awed at the display, knowing full good and well the power that Asuka possessed to melt the hearts of many. Even Gajeel fell victim to the squirt's temptations and gentle affection.

Erza smiled softly, taking her seat back at the bar. "It's truly incredible what Asuka is capable of. Even the coldest of creatures bend to her cute will."

Mira couldn't help but giggle at that sentiment. "Yeah, she's truly one of a kind."

Erza's attention remained on the duo, clenching her breast plate with a small frown.

'One day.. one day this will be our future Natsu. I promise you.'

What was once a land covered in mountains of snow, was nothing but a wasteland covered in fire and ash. Natsu stood in the epicenter of it all, watching as the wind blew the grey soil along the ground like a wave.

Bones littered the ground, belonging to many of the beasts that tried in vain to attack him. Their howls of agonizing pain echoed across the empty land. His eyes were empty, filled with no life, no happiness, no anything that resided within the core of his being. Natsu could feel it, the last remnants of humanity slipping from his grasp. Was he a demon? A dragon? Or something else entirely?

The title of Fire Monarch bore its reputation across this ash-filled land. Natsu lifted his hand as a ball crimson flames sparked in his palm, crackling against the harsh wind that blew through his rose colored hair.

These flames brought chaos, destruction in their wake. They were not Dragon's, God's, nor Demonic. They were something else entirely, a thought that both Natsu feared and grew excited over. He flicked his palm, extinguishing the fire as he a deep breath, feeling his lungs shrivel from the dry air.

"The power to burn the world in the palm of my hand." He muttered under his breath, clenching his chest. His heart beat resounded with a rhythmic thump. "Would you still love me if you truly knew what I am now?" He asked nobody, but the wind that blew across his body.

Erza was the only thing that kept his last shed of humanity in tact. The only light in his dark tunnel. She wouldn't abandon him, she's made that perfectly clear to him time and time again. Even after he's murdered humans... Erza has yet to leave his side. She kept her promise true to support him through anything, even if the world was against him she would stand by his side through it all.

Natsu clenched his fists together, glancing up at the clock with weary eyes. A small sigh escaped his lips, brushing away the ash that clung to his clothes, wiping the blood away from his face. He rested his arms to his sides, closing his eyes, exhaling a short breath.

"Time to go home..."

A small portal appeared above all of the guild members who looked up in wonder.

Erza immediately stood up from her seat as a flutter of pink hair escaped the gate. Natsu landed on the floor, splintering the floor beneath his feet. He slowly rose off the ground, cracking his neck with a gentle sigh. "Stuck the landing this time..."

He had not a moment to react, before being tackled by his mate. Even with enough force to knock anyone down, Natsu's feet stayed planted to the floor, wrapping his arms around Erza with a small smile. "Someone missed me."

"I always miss you when you are gone... I'm glad you're okay," Erza said, lifting her head to plant her lips against his own.

"Uncle Natsu!"

They pulled away from their tender kiss to turn to Asuka who stood with a big grin on her lips. Natsu cracked a weak smile, ruffling the girl's hair. "Hey there, what's up?"

"I made friends with the dragon!" She pointed towards Draconis who stood up from his place, bowing down to his master with a small rumble.

Natsu gave her a big toothy grin. "You did huh? That's awesome Asuka. Why don't you go play with him? I'm sure he enjoys your company."

"Okay!" Asuka giggled, taking off from the couple to meet up with her dragon friend.

"Isn't it cute?" Erza asked with a small grin. "She opened his heart up to affection. I think Draconis is making good progress."

"Good..." He answered a bit quietly enough for Erza to look at him, a small frown making it's way across her lips.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah," Natsu replied, waving his arm dismissively with a weak smile. "Long day is all. I need a bath as you can clearly see," he gestured to his ashy clothes, and the dirt that clung to his face. If she looked close enough, she saw dried blood.

Erza took her hand into his with a smile. "Then let's take a bath together. I'll scrub you nice and clean."

"I.. I'd like that."

Natsu and Erza dissapeared from the main hall, heading to the guild's bathes. Everyone returned to their usual activities, taking occasional glances towards Asuka and Draconis with smiles on their faces.

But a nagging thought was in back of their minds, digging into their anxiety. A thought that even if there were smiles now, one day there will be tears.

What was the plan now?

Natsu Dragneel

Job Class: Fire Monarch

Level: 55

STR: 130

AGIL: 60

VIT: 92

SENS: 40

INT: 50

I do apologize for this chapter taking so long to come out. Kinda lost confidence in my own writing for a moment, plus the lack of feedback or reviews kinda just got to me. Besides that I had some really bad writers block. I know this story has a lot of follows and favorites, and that brings me more joy than you guys can possibly imagine, but man I would really appreciate some comments.

I've almost had the thought of scrapping this story, but I know some of you would be devastated if that happened. Not sure when another chapter will go up for either stories I'm currently working on, but I do hope you enjoyed this chapter, even if it feels like my worst work yet. But who knows really.

Anyway, next time. After months of training his body, Natsu is in a league of his own. A red portal appears, signaling a greater threat ahead.

As always I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and I'll see you all in the next one. Later.