(Edited 11/09/24)
I do not own Fairy Tail Hiro Mashima does.
Cold Heart
*POTD*
As Natsu continued on through the blizzard, he could hear the sounds of battle all around him. The others were also clearly fighting the strange snow copies of Gray, but they seemed to be getting diverted to differing sections of the city.
As Natsu trudged through the snow, he came to a stop before his ruined manor, the building having suffered from years of neglect. Memories of the actions he took that day flooded his mind as he recalled what led him to this moment.
His desire to save Wendy had been at the forefront, but he couldn't deny the part of him that just really wanted to cut down Mard Geer and his Demon Gates. He'd charged in, just like always, and used his fists to solve all his problems, not realizing that his enemies had been expecting him to do exactly that.
His recklessness had cost not just himself, not just Fairy Tail, and not just Magnolia. No, it had cost all of Fiore much over the last seven years, and there wasn't a thing he could do to reverse it now.
But as he looked toward his front door, he was reminded of all the good times he'd had in that manor. From the day it had been purchased without his full consent, to his many nights spent awake with Erza, Elise, Ur and all their friends…
"I had some really great memories in that house," Natsu sighed, shaking his head as he looked back up at the missing section of the roof. "One day, I'll rebuild that house, and live a normal life."
As he turned away and began making his way toward the Guild Hall, Natsu cursed under his breath. He knew what he'd said just now was little more than meaningless words. He knew full well that there wasn't any chance of him living a normal life again.
Reaching the steps of the Guild Hall, Natsu paused, taking a deep breath as he steeled himself for what was to come. He knew the real Gray would be in there, waiting for him. He knew Gray was going to likely try to kill him, his fingers running along the hilt of the blade Lady Death gave him.
With a determined gaze, Natsu marched up the stairs and kicked open the set of double doors, a freezing gust of wind escaping the dusty and abandoned place.
Looking around, the place was mostly the same as when he'd left it, minus the thick coating of dust and numerous cobwebs that would have Mira going into a full-on meltdown. The signs of long-term abandonment were all there, clear as day.
"And here you are Demon, back where it all started."
Natsu looked up to the rafters and saw an older form of Gray sitting there, his hair long and his body somewhat skinnier than the clones he'd shown off earlier. He was smiling down at Natsu as if nothing was out of the ordinary, as if this were just another ordinary day for him.
"Are you really just going to sit up there and smile? Act as if there's nothing wrong," Natsu murmured, clenching his fists as his eyes fell upon the state of the Guild Hall once again. "Fairy Tail was our home, and look at what you've done to it!? All our friends, all the happiness this place once fostered… You've driven it all away Gray, leaving only you and your hatred of Demons in its absence!"
"Don't turn this back around on me and act like you give a shit Natsu," Gray scoffed in response. "If anyone is to blame for the current situation, it's you!"
"This isn't like you Gray," Natsu replied sharply, shaking his head. "The Gray I knew would never hav-!"
"Don't act like you know me! Hell, I bet you didn't know any single one of us," Gray spat in reply. "One day, you just showed up and claimed to be the Son of a Dragon. Outlandish, but a believable story, seeing as how the others all come from fucked backgrounds. It gave credibility to the power you had at your fingertips, even if you couldn't use it because you were a trash tier Mage-!"
"Come on Gray-."
"But having that power, and Erza willing to train you? Well, that just wasn't good enough for you, was it," Gray hissed, cutting Natsu off quickly. "You couldn't help but want to be the center of attention, as always. You ran off with Gildarts, thirsting for more and more power, more strength to crush people with not TWO YEARS after you showed up on our door!?"
"What's your point?"
"My point is that you knew everyone in the Guild for a maximum of two years before you ran off and abandoned us! You barely knew most of us and ran off as soon as Fairy Tail's strongest showed up!"
"It wasn't like that-!"
"Then what was it like!? Because you dropped us for power at the first available opportunity-!"
"I won't argue I ran off Gray, and I never have! Yes, I wasn't satisfied with the level of power I had access to at the time, and I knew Gildarts could help set me on the path to becoming as strong as he was. But I didn't run off because I didn't care about you guys-."
"Bullshit-!"
"Oh shut the fuck up Gray! I MADE A CHOICE AND STUCK WITH IT," Natsu roared in response, growing frustrated with the Ice Make Mage's constant rebuttals. "I left, because Lisanna was killed and none of us could save her. I left, because I wanted to make sure that nothing like that could ever happen again. I left, because I feared losing anyone else-!"
"Cut the bullshit Natsu! You didn't need that much power and you know it," Gray spat venomously. "You know damn well you'd still have been one of the strongest in the Guild with Erza training you!"
"Now you're just talking shit Gray," Natsu scoffed, crossing his arms in response. "If it wasn't for me, this Guild wouldn't have survived the Phantom Lord incident you stupid prick! No one else could have stopped the second Jupiter Cannon shot, or Jose himself for that matter, other than me!"
"Here comes the ego yet again! Me. Me. Me. You'd all be screwed without ME!"
"Don't think so? Well, Ur wouldn't be around today if I wasn't there to save her on Galuna Island, would she? Elise wouldn't be a part of Fairy Tail at all, would she!? And you… I know exactly where you'd be if it wasn't for me Gray…"
"And where's that," Gray snarled, leaping off the rafters and landing in front of Natsu, a scowl on his face as the black markings on his body twitched.
"You'd be six feet under Gray," Natsu whispered in reply as the two men got in each other's faces. "Eisenwald, Galuna Island, Phantom Lord, the Tower of Heaven, Laxus' attempted coup, the Oracion Seis… Need more examples, Gray? Oh, actually, here's another one! Fucking Edolas-!"
"You really do believe you're some sort of hero, don't you," Gray laughed, as if he'd completely brushed aside everything Natsu had just said. "You tossed us all aside like garbage so YOU could grow stronger. So YOU would be able to swoop in and play the hero!"
"It's not about playing hero, Gray," Natsu growled in response, frustrated that he wasn't getting through to the man. "It's about making sure-!"
"Do you even truly understand how hard it was for all of us to deal with you disappearing the first time!? Erza, the woman you supposedly love, didn't leave her bedroom for three weeks! She spent those three weeks crying, berating herself and starving herself until Mira got through to her!"
"…"
"And then, you finally come back, and everyone thinks things are gonna be better," Gray chuckled, turning around and walking toward the dusty bar. "But in only a few months, you fucking disappear! AGAIN!"
"That's not fair Gray, we all went off to train," Natsu pointed out, only for Gray to silence him.
"But when this Tartaros shit went down, that's what really brought it all into focus for me," Gray continued, his eyes darting back to Natsu as he sat down on one of the dusty stools and faced him. "You're a Demon. No, you're not just a Demon, but THE Demon… The Demon King E.N.D, the finest creation of Zeref. For you to be able to so easily toss us all aside, irrespective of the feelings of those you claim to care about… You think yourself too superior to bother with lesser beings like us!"
So taken aback by Gray's harsh words, Natsu could only look down at his feet, his feelings genuinely hurt hearing that someone he once considered his best friend could have ever gained such a low opinion of him.
Looking back up, Natsu was about to speak, but froze up upon noticing Lord Life and Lady Death sitting on the opposite end of the bar from Gray, drinking from freshly filled mugs as if they'd always been there.
"Eyesight is a funny thing, isn't it Brother?"
"Such a fickle sense Sister."
"One can only see what the eye permits them to see, shrouding a world of impossibilities from their grasp."
"Unless they possess a gift?"
"Indeed Sister… Indeed."
"Are you just gonna stand there, or have you finally realized just how much of a piece of garbage you are," Gray snapped, drawing Natsu's attention back toward him, with Lord Life and Lady Death vanishing the instant he looked back to where they had been.
"Gray, I don't really know why you feel this way, since over half of the things you've mentioned don't actually affect or involve you directly," Natsu sighed, knowing full well that this wasn't going to make the conversation better. "And to be clear, I don't see myself as superior to anyone. In fact, I think anyone with enough talent and sheer willpower can achieve what I did."
"I don't know how you can stomach talking so much shit Natsu," Gray sighed, shaking his head. "But it disgusts me!"
"Oh go cry me a fucking river Gray! My life ever since I left has been the furthest thing from a picnic," Natsu snapped back, kicking over a nearby chair. "I've fought in wars, done countless S Class Missions, assassinated people, committed atrocities, been tortured numerous times! So don't you DARE sit there and try to lecture me about how you can't stand me being what I am, because I fought tooth and fucking nail to get here!"
"Tooth and nail, sure. But whose teeth and nails are they?"
"You-You fuck! I can abide the insults toward me… But you just insulted the people I've lost with that one," Natsu snarled. "You know what, I think I'm not the one with the complex here Gray? I think its you."
"What?"
"It's you," Natsu repeated, laughing as he pointed in his direction. "You've got an inferiority complex, and always have. You're jealous that my power dwarfs the fuck out of yours, aren't you!?"
To say Natsu's statement didn't go over well with Gray would be an understatement, as the Ice Make Mage slammed a fist down on the bar, shattering it entirely, before rising to his feet.
"You and that cocky, arrogant attitude have always pissed me off Natsu," Gray growled, as the temperature in the room rapidly began to plummet. "But knowing that you're the worst Demon of them all… I've got no regrets for the Hell I'm about to put you through."
"You really want to fight me, Gray?"
"Now is the best time to get rid of you," Gray continued. "You haven't got your powers to save you, leaving you as little more than easy pickings for my new power!"
"Gray-!"
"You're a Demon, just like Deliora, Lullaby and all the rest! You aren't fooling me like you've fooled the others," Gray shouted, as the Crimson Red glow in his left eye increased, along with the black markings across his body.
"Why are you so obsessed with killing me Gray," Natsu asked, noticing again the erratic behavior in the man. "What have I ever actually done to make your life worse? I even helped you get Ur back, which I'd hoped would have helped you move on from all this guilt? Yet here you are, utterly consumed by it-!"
"You don't know a God damned thing about me Natsu! Not my goals, my dreams, my feelings… not my secrets, or my deepest, darkest desires! You know nothing," Gray screamed, his pupils dilating once again as he ran his hands over his face. "All that ever comes from you is sadness and despair… Its time someone dealt with you once and for all!"
As Gray conjured a light red colored blade made of ice, Natsu's attention was drawn to Lady Death, who casually walked out from behind one of the pillars, staring unblinkingly at him.
'What are those two playing at,' Natsu thought to himself, before swiftly managing to draw his sword, blocking a strike from Gray at the last possible moment.
The floorboards beneath the pair cracked from the power behind Gray's strike, yet Natsu didn't falter. Whatever Lord Life and Lady Death had done to the blade, it allowed him to match the strike comfortably.
"Damn it Gray," Natsu hissed, watching Lady Death disappear behind another pillar. "I don't want to do this!"
"Well, that's just too damn bad, isn't it," Gray snapped, as Natsu managed to push him back. "Keel over and die, Natsu!"
"Fine… I guess you're not giving me any choice," Natsu sighed, taking a deep breath before the two crossed blades properly, only for Gray to strike him across the face, knocking him back several feet as it caught him off guard. "Shit-!"
Rolling out of the way, as Gray leaped into the air, he came down upon Natsu's former position with a downward thrust, slicing open the floor as multiple light red ice shards erupted from the ground in his direction.
"Not good," Natsu huffed, expertly slashing the ice shards apart as Gray appeared in front of him, slashing down at him with a vertical strike.
Holding his blade above his head with two hands, Natsu grit his teeth as the Ice Devil Slayer kept him in a kneeling position, cocking back his right foot to kick him in the face.
"Not this time, Ice Prick," Natsu hissed, quickly catching the kick with his left hand, immediately ceasing all resistance in blocking Gray's strike whilst pulling it, causing him to fall forward.
Natsu then tossed Gray over him and into the already broken bench at the bar, as multiple bottles fell and smashed across both Gray, and the floor.
"Shit, Mira is probably gonna kill someone for that," Natsu grunted as he sheathed his blade and charged Gray.
As the Ice Devil Slayer emerged from the debris and shattered glass, covered in alcohol, he was tackled right back into it by Natsu, as he began using what he was known best for.
The pair began exchanging a vicious series of punches, many missing and causing further damage to the immediate area as they scrambled around to regain their bearings. Despite being so heavily nerfed, Natsu's raw strength was just barely enough to match whatever was fueling Gray, the pair nearly dead even as they stumbled to their feet.
"You prick," Gray snapped, cocking back his right fist.
"Back at you," Natsu huffed, as they both struck each other across the face several times, before Natsu took a hard it to the chin, knocking him into one of the few shelves still standing. "Fuck-!"
Gray panted as he grabbed Natsu by the hair with his right hand, before grabbing a bottle from the shelf and smashing it over his head. Natsu grunted as the Ice Devil Slayer repeated the action multiple times, with a sizeable gash opening up on the back of Natsu's head.
Gritting his teeth as blood poured from the wound, Natsu forced himself up, despite Gray's attempts to keep him down, and delivered a brutal headbutt to his face, knocking him into the nearby pillar. Stumbling forward, Natsu grabbed Gray by the hair and began smashing Gray's head into it repeatedly, as blood splatter quickly smeared the area.
"You fuck," Natsu snarled. "How does that feel!? HUH!?"
In response, Gray's arm flailed out, catching Natsu's jaw and knocking him away, as he charged Natsu wildly, his face covered in blood.
The pair tackled one another, neither able to knock the other off their feet as Natsu watched Gray's face begin to regenerate, the same Crimson Red glow in his left eye growing ever stronger.
"You've got endurance, I'll give you that," Natsu panted, managing to push Gray away. "But I'm not gonna let you get away with what you've done!"
Moving to tackle Gray again, Natsu was shocked to find himself unable to move. Looking down at his feet, Gray had frozen the entire floor in a sheet of three-inch-thick ice, laughing as he stepped toward Natsu once again.
"You really thought you could fight me without your power," the Ice Devil Slayer laughed, as Natsu felt a burning sensation around his feet. "How does it feel? This power was made to hurt Devils like you!"
'Shit! I can't move my legs, the ice is too thick,' Natsu thought to himself, as he tried to free himself, much to Gray's amusement.
As he tried to free himself, Natsu paused, looking back up at Gray once more. Only this time, something seemed slightly different about him.
'What…What is that?'
"Could it be," Lady Death's voice spoke all around him, as something strange seemed to partially manifest around Gray's form. "Eyesight is an extremely fickle sense…"
Without any warning, a marble flew out from directly behind Gray, striking Natsu on the forehead, knocking him onto his back. This did no favors for his ankles or feet, which remained frozen upright.
However, despite the fact that his ankles had assuredly been broken, Natsu wasn't even remotely focused on that, as a million and one things ran through his mind in a matter of mere moments.
"I feel it," Natsu whispered, as Gray brought an icy blade to his throat.
"You feel what, Demon? Death closing in on you," Gray sneered, eliciting a light chuckle from his former friend. "What's so funny?"
"In a sense Gray, yes, I do feel Death," Natsu chuckled, closing his eyes slowly before reopening them, causing Gray to instinctively jump back. "I feel it again…"
Natsu slowly rose upright once again, a Crimson Red glow in his eyes as the Devil's Aura flared to life around him. The moment he was upright, Natsu glared in Gray's direction, shooting a hateful glare his way.
"You," the Devil spat suddenly. "I should have realized it sooner. It all makes perfect sense now…"
Gray was completely confused at what Natsu was talking about, completely unaware that the Devil wasn't speaking with him. No, he was speaking to the entity surrounding him.
"I told you once before Natsu, that I shall always be there to remind you of your failures, and to demonstrate just how terrible you truly are."
Natsu's eyes could finally see the truth as he beheld the form of The Darkness, which had fully enveloped Gray's form like a second skin. Its eerie glowing Crimson Red eyes narrowed, matching Natsu's own.
"I don't care if you want to torment me, but leave my friends out of it!"
"But they are arguably the most crucial piece of the game, Dragneel. You of all people should know this to be the truth," The Darkness replied, its smoke-like form swirling around Gray. "I must say though, I'm both surprised and disappointed that you gained your sight back this soon. It does ruin the fun, more than I care to admit."
"Yeah? Well, my sight isn't the only thing I got back," Natsu growled in response, as two black tendrils began to snake their way out of Natsu's back, his wounds beginning to regenerate much faster than before. "It might not be the full brunt of my power…but it's coming back! Bit by fucking bit!"
The tendrils from his back wrapped around one another, before smashing into the ice sealing his feet, shattering it instantly as the entire Guild Hall shook from the force. The moment he was free, Natsu cleared some distance, his ankles and feet regenerating as he glared at The Darkness.
"Now that I know Gray is being twisted by you, I can fight knowing he's still the friend I once knew," Natsu declared firmly, eliciting a raspy chuckle from The Darkness.
"He is still under my influence, Dragneel. Even if you have regained control over your E.N.D abilities and Aura once more, what use will it be when I control Gray and his Ice Devil Slayer Magic?"
"Do you honestly think I just blow past all my fights with overwhelming power," Natsu replied, clenching his fists. "What's one more life or death situation if it means I can save my friend!? Doing that now doesn't seem like a big deal to me!"
"Bold words, but ultimately hollow. I know you better than you know yourself, and within that bravado lies pure, unbridled rage, and an all-consuming hatred," The Darkness chuckled in response. "All of it culminates in the weapon known as E.N.D…"
"If you seriously believe that, then you know nothing about me, or about what E.N.D is," Natsu replied firmly. "Before I merged with him, E.N.D was similar to me, if a little crazy. Your words are the hollow ones here, Darkness, not mine!"
"Either way, it matters little. In the end, you will be forced to reveal your true nature. It is, unavoidable," The Darkness replied plainly. "I currently possess Gray Fullbuster, and will force him to fight you in my stead. This means you have only one option if you wish to kill me… Kill me, and you kill Gray Fullbuster. Fail to kill me, and you die!"
"Now, under normal circumstances, that would be a pretty serious threat," Natsu replied, shaking his head. "But you see, there's something you've failed to account for in this little scheme of yours?"
"And what would that variable be?"
"Simple," Natsu smirked, gesturing toward himself with a thumbs up. "I'm Natsu Dragneel."
"Your trump card is your self-confidence? I fail to see how your mere existence shall be enough to turn this into a victory? If anything, such arrogance and self-confidence shall prove to be your undoing?"
"Funny you should say that actually, because I do recall you saying something to that effect in our last encounter… I also then tore your brand-new body to shreds about five minutes after the fact too," Natsu shot back, which actually seemed to annoy the dark entity. "But all that aside, I only have two questions I want answered? Tell me why you sided with the Avatar Guild, and what are they after?"
"Ah, so you've heard of the alliance between Avatar and Fairy Tail? I suppose it doesn't matter if I answer you now," The Darkness replied plainly. "Through guidance, Avatar is working to revive one of the old ones…"
"What," Natsu whispered, as all the blood drained from his face. "Which one?"
"The War Titan."
Natsu knew full well that this was anything but good. Unlike the Fire Titan, the War Titan would belong to a higher tiered pantheon, alongside other constants of existence.
"Why are they trying to bring back the War Titan!?"
"Its rather simple really. The War Titan is to be restored for the sole purpose of causing as much chaos and destruction before you, or anyone else, can stop it. Lord Zeref is well aware you beat the Fire Titan in Draconia seven years ago, and sees little reason not to see the release of the War Titan."
"Just when I thought Zeref couldn't get any more insane," Natsu growled in response. "So you and Zeref would actually bring one of the Titans into our world once again, all just to screw around!?"
"Well, its actually just to soften up any potential resistance Fiore could muster before the Alvarez invasion. But yes."
The sheer bluntness of The Darkness' response angered Natsu, but he kept his cool as he slowly drew his blade once more, the black tendrils from his back poised to strike at a moment's notice.
"This is sheer insanity! There's absolutely no chance I'm allowing any of this to happen!"
"You have no choice in the matter, as weak as you are now. Perhaps it would serve you better to just surrender to Lord Zeref, serving him as was the original plan?"
"I'd rather rot in Hell!"
"We're well aware, which is why steps must be taken to ensure you are prevented from mounting a resistance against us when the time comes to take Fiore," The Darkness replied simply. "You have been given far too much freedom, and it has distracted you from the only goal your existence serves in slaying Achnologia and paving the way for the ascension of the Alvarez Empire."
"There's no way I'm letting Zeref live after all he's done! There won't be any ascension of Alvarez, only its collapse!"
"An empty threat. Even if you were to regain your full power, you wouldn't stand a chance against him."
"And how the Hell would you know that!?"
"I know, because that is my role. To know all that there is to know about you. To mould you into the machine of war capable of fighting and slaying Achnologia, and ensuring the rise of Alvarez."
"Your role… The Hell even are you!?"
"I am The Darkness, nothing more," the entity replied, which only angered Natsu further.
"But what does that actually mean!?"
"What it means is entirely up to you? However, it seems you do not have the time to ponder such a question, seeing as you are in the middle of battle?"
Natsu's blade was instantly in front of him, blocking a vertical slash from Gray, who had moved forward to slash at him whilst he had been momentarily distracted. Gritting his teeth, he could feel the sheer force behind the attack, knowing full well that this was The Darkness' doing, as the tendrils from his back flailed wildly, swatting away two snow versions of Gray.
Pushing back against the real Gray, Natsu was shocked to see life in Gray's eyes once more, even though they were shrouded by darkness. He could tell Gray was scared, his eyes wide yet he held no control over his body, The Darkness having fully taken over by this point.
"Gray! Gray, I know you can hear me," Natsu called out, as he fended off several more strikes. "I won't let The Darkness have his way!"
"More empty promises. Promises that you will fail to keep," The Darkness spoke, as it warped across the room along with Gray's body. "To trust in you would be to sign one's own death warrant."
"If you think that, then you clearly don't know me like you claim to," Natsu growled, as The Darkness vanished, with Natsu spinning around and clashing with him again. "Plenty of people have put their trust in me, and I've done everything they needed me to!"
"Some…not all."
"Because life doesn't work that way," Natsu growled, as he remained on the defensive. "I learned it the hard way, yes. But I beat you once, both physically and psychologically! I know that Gray can do the same too!"
Natsu saw the brief flicker of hope in Gray's eyes, as The Darkness faltered, allowing Natsu to shatter the ice blade and knock him away.
"You hear me Gray!? Fight back!"
The Darkness stumbled back, even as it conjured a new ice blade, before charging wildly in an attempt to slash him. Easily sidestepping the strike, Natsu swung his blade out to the far left, shattering the blade again, before grabbing onto Gray's collar.
Knowing that Gray was fighting back, it made the whole process slightly easier for him, as Natsu channeled more Aura into his head. Even if Gray had strong willpower, he couldn't beat The Darkness alone. Gray needed his help, and he knew just how to give it."
"Alright Gray, you'd better be grateful for this… I'm not supposed to do this for Humans, let alone a Devil Slayer," Natsu huffed with grit teeth, as his eyes glowed Crimson Red.
Pulling back, Natsu went and smashed their foreheads together in a brutal headbutt, as Devil's Aura exploded out of both their bodies, their eyes staring unblinkingly at one another.
"Look into my eyes Gray… Gaze beyond the dancing flames you see and feel the pull of my Devil's Aura!"
Gray screamed, yet his body was unable to move, going completely rigid as Natsu held him in place. The Darkness roared, but his voice was quickly drowned out, as both men soon fell into a deep trance.
"No… NO! I won't allow it," The Darkness roared, sensing what Natsu was about to do, as it fully shrouded Gray's body to no avail. "It won't work Natsu Dragneel! I've had seven years to break him! He's mine!"
*POTD*
It was a rather strange feeling, diving into one's own mindscape. The world around you stills, as another opens up around you, as if transporting you to another world.
However, Natsu was currently taking the process a step further than entering his own mindscape.
When his vision stabilized, he stood upon the outer edge of his mindscape, a small dividing line of raw energy separating the fiery landscape of his mind, with the arctic tundra of Gray's own.
He could see Gray, slumped against the dividing wall. His mental projection was sickly and weak, clearly on his last legs. Thankfully though, he was still alive.
"Gray! Gray, you've got to get up!"
"Can't," Gray half whispered in response, his hand sliding down the dividing wall. "Too weak…"
"Come on Gray, you've managed to survive this long! Just push Gray, I can free you," Natsu called out desperately. "Just trust me!"
"Trust you," Gray chuckled hollowly. "Like how you trusted us…to know about E.N.D?"
"You know damn well why I never said anything about my being E.N.D," Natsu replied calmly, not wanting to antagonize the man at his most vulnerable. "You saw the outcome for yourself…"
Gray managed to raise his head just enough to look at Natsu, gritting his teeth as he shakily rose into a semi-standing position. Placing most of his weight on the dividing wall, the man began to laugh.
"This is my fault you know…?"
"Gray, no it-."
"Just shut up and listen Natsu," Gray snapped, his fists clenched against the wall. "When I found the note from Erza, along with the Lacrima that had the power of the Devil Slayer in it, I was gonna throw it away. I was angry…confused…I'd just found out that one of my closest friends, as well as the woman I consider to be a Mother, were two of the worst Demons I could think of."
"You had every right to be angry Gray…"
"The others were angry at me, didn't want anything to do with me. The Magic Council started putting the screws on Fairy Tail not long after you all disappeared, and I-I couldn't handle it. After the last time you guys were gone, it was hard enough to keep the Guild going. But with you and Ur being Demons, and the others all sympathizing with you… I cracked."
"I know Gray, Juvia told us."
"Juvia… I chased her away man. I didn't know what I was doing half the time, but she still tried to help me. After I finally gave in and had the Lacrima put in, I chased her away with force…turned my Magic on her…"
"She knows it wasn't really you Gray," Natsu replied quietly, placing a hand on the barrier. "The Darkness was the one-."
"No."
"No?"
"No…I don't get to just dump all the blame on that-that thing," Gray hissed, gritting his teeth as he banged a fist on the barrier. "It spoke, but I listened. It speaking turned to asking, which turned to telling…until it became ordering. It may have possessed me, but I was the one who listened to begin with."
"Gray," Natsu sighed, struggling to figure out how to word what he wanted to say. "The Darkness preys on the mind at its weakest points. It got me, Gray. ME! It's a miracle you've even lasted this long?"
"You know how it convinced me," Gray asked quietly, as Natsu shook his head. "It showed me memories of yours that it had. It showed me a memory of you fighting Alvarez in a town across the sea, along their border to some country they were trying to conquer…"
"I wondered if it managed to take some of those memories," Natsu muttered quietly, turning away from Gray with a look of guilt on his face. "It showed you what I did to the town, didn't it?"
"You marched across the border into Alvarez and butchered an entire town's worth of civilians, leaving nothing but ash… Entire families, and you burned them all," Gray replied, as the pair met each other's gaze. "When it showed me that, I was adamant you were evil… But once The Darkness fully took over, and I got stuck in here, I started to see random stuff it wasn't trying to show me."
"The actions of some of the Spriggan and Leichart Twelve?"
"Yeah," Gray nodded in reply. "When I started seeing the context behind why you did what you did, I began to second guess myself. You were with Alicia and that Solomon guy, and you three were watching a Demon looking guy from the Spriggan Twelve have everyone in the town killed, only to reanimate them as walking bombs using Blood Magic to catch anyone seeking help off guard… But that's not what The Darkness wanted me to see, only the aftermath of what you did, but by that point, it was too late to realize my mistake."
"Not all the Spriggan and Leichart members are willing to go that far, but some do," Natsu sighed sadly. "The one you probably saw was a Demon named Bloodman, and he's notorious for his brutality."
"Well, my whole perspective of you changed after I gained the full context of what you'd done. Being stuck in here I would often wonder how you were able to remain as normal as you were, being a hardened war veteran and all," Gray replied honestly. "By the time I decided I didn't want to fight first, but talk, it was already too late though, and The Darkness had taken hold…"
Looking behind Gray, at least half of his mindscape was flooded in the same eerie darkness that had surrounded Gray's real body. Undoubtedly, it was the influence of the entity possessing him, ravaging his mind in an attempt to snuff him out.
"We can talk all you want once I get you free of that thing," Natsu said firmly, with Gray nodding weakly in response.
"You know how this thing works, and you got free of it, right?"
"I was freed from it by some of the Devils in Tartarus, but I know how the process works."
"So, you can help free me somehow? What do I have to do?"
"It's risky, but I need you to remain as still and calm as you can," Natsu muttered, as the Crimson Red glow in his eyes increased to a near blinding degree. "Don't move…"
Stepping forward, Natsu bumped into the dividing wall, before his form started to pass through it, slipping into the arctic form of Gray's own mindscape. The fatigued man was stunned as Natsu grabbed onto him, holding him upright.
"D-Did you just enter my mind!?"
"Yeah. It's honestly not that hard for any Aura user to pull that off," Natsu shrugged, before looking over at the dark clouds. "That being said, you're the one who has to deal with those clouds, not me."
"Huh? Then why did you come in here?"
"Because alone, you're not strong enough to get to where you need to go," Natsu sighed, as he picked up Gray's frail form and started carrying him. "You know that you're in your own mind, right?"
"Yeah, I know that," Gray replied, as Natsu trudged over a snowy hill. "So how do we fight back?"
"Where did you just say we were?"
"In my mind…"
"Correct. And how would being within your own mind help you to overcome The Darkness' control over it?"
"I already tried thinking hard for it to go away and it didn't-."
"No, that's not what I'm trying to get you to do," Natsu sighed, shaking his head. "Honestly, if this performance is anything to go by, you might not even have enough brain to do anything at all?"
"Hey!"
"You get what I'm trying to say? You need to use your brain if you want to kick The Darkness out," Natsu continued, ignoring Gray's protests. "Our brain holds every single memory we can consciously remember. Every thought, every feeling… Every single thing that makes you who you are is stored in this icy place we're in."
"I'm starting to get really confused Natsu…"
"Trying to use your mind to imagine him gone isn't going to work, simply because The Darkness is a real thing. If it were just a figment of your own imagination or a product of your own mind, using your willpower to will it to go away, would actually work."
"So to get rid of The Darkness, I need to use something more real," Gray muttered quietly. "Like a memory?"
"More specifically, any memories or emotions that directly counteract those you had when The Darkness first came to gain control over you," Natsu nodded quickly. "In this place, you are the master, not him, and he can't cut you off from your memories."
"But how do I use them," Gray asked, clearly confused, as they walked down a steep snowy incline. "How do I use the memories to drive them back?"
"There's only one way you're going to be able to use them," Natsu replied as they reached the bottom of the incline. "Acceptance."
"Acceptance?"
"When I had that thing pulled out of my mind, traces of it still lingered. In order to get rid of them, I had to come to terms with everything I'd been blaming myself for that led to The Darkness taking hold. I had to accept that Wendy's condition wasn't my fault, and that ultimately, I'll not always be able to save the day like I foolishly dreamed of all those years ago."
He's right you know?
Natsu felt Gray freeze up in his arms, as the Devil carried him up to a light red Lacrima crystal that was jutting out of the snowy landscape. Placing Gray down before the Lacrima, Natsu stepped back as the Ice Make Mage slowly crawled up to it, placing his hand upon its smooth surface.
"You aren't alone Gray," Natsu said quietly. "You have people you can always rely on, even in the darkest of times…"
"This can't be," Gray whispered, as he struggled to hold back his tears. "It can't be… Dad?"
Floating within the Lacrima, was the form of Silver Fullbuster, just as he had looked when the Lacrima had been removed from his body. The man smirked toward Natsu, before looking down at his Son with a more gentle gaze.
"You need to pull yourself together Son. Natsu can do a bit to help, but this is mostly on you…"
"It's your mind Gray, and ultimately, only you can kick The Darkness out of it," Natsu agreed, his body flickering briefly. "Shit… guess that makes sense, seeing as I only just got my Aura back…"
"What's wrong!?"
"I've been in here too long and my Aura still hasn't recovered enough to sustain a more permanent connection," Natsu replied as his body flickered in and out of existence. "Between the two of you, I know you'll figure out how to kick him out!"
With that, Natsu vanished, leaving Gray alone with Silver, as the tide of darkness within his mind creeped ever closer…
*POTD*
As Natsu returned to full consciousness, he was met with a hailstorm of light red ice shards that The Darkness had fired at him. The fight had somehow made its way outside in the time he'd been speaking to Gray, with the pair 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, slashing apart multiple ice shards, before dodging the rest.
Leaping across a rooftop, Natsu extended his left hand as his fingers rapidly lengthened, impaling five snow copies of Gray as he blocked multiple slashes from the real one. Stomping his left foot, he tried to restrain Gray's body, only for The Darkness to shred them using Ice Devil Slayer Magic.
"His mind will be mine Dragneel, it is only a matter of when," The Darkness taunted him, as he kicked Natsu across the road and into one of the dilapidated buildings. "And when that moment comes, I shall be here to witness another of your failures!"
'There's nothing I can really do here. I can't fight back against him, because then I'll just be hurting Gray. But if I don't fight back, then he could get a lucky hit in and kill me,' Natsu thought to himself as he leaped out of the rubble, landing on a nearby sign. 'What to do…?'
"Trying to plan some sort of strategy? Don't bother. You have no other options aside from submitting to Lord Zeref's will, or dying!"
"Or I can pick option three," Natsu replied, as his wounds regenerated. "How about I save Gray, and you fade back into nothing!?"
"The only chance of me fading is when you lie dead," The Darkness replied firmly, as it started preparing some much more deadly attacks. "Only one of you will leave this fight alive! Will it be you, or Gray Fullbuster!?"
"Not even a question," Natsu growled, vanishing right as an icicle shard the size of a building smashed the area he'd just been standing.
"Ever the fool," The Darkness scoffed, as ten more copies of Gray appeared behind him. "Prepare to die!"
*POTD*
"Dad…I don't know if I can do this," Gray sighed, pressing his head up against the Lacrima, seeing the reflection of the approaching darkness reflected upon its surface.
"You can do it Son; you've got all the tools you need. Trouble is, you just don't know how to use them yet," Silver replied, kneeling down to meet his Son's gaze. "Think about what Natsu told you, about how even in the darkest times, there are people you can always rely on?"
"I don't understand…"
"You've already unknowingly taken the first step just by letting Natsu help you Gray, but you need to think. Think about where we are, and what this place truly is?"
Gray pondered what his Father had said, thinking back on how he had chosen to trust Natsu, despite his hatred of Demons, allowing him to enter his mind. He then thought back to Silver's appearance.
"Wait," Gray murmured, remembering what Natsu said earlier about using his real memories. "Wait a minute…!"
Turning around, Gray could see the darkness rolling in, melting the ice within his mindscape, as he began to focus on one memory in particular. Silver, seemingly realizing his Son had figured it out, merely smiled.
Focusing as hard as he could, a startled gasp drew his attention, as a younger form of Juvia popped into existence.
"J-Juvia!?"
"Hello Gray," Juvia smiled, as if all was perfectly normal around them.
Having thought back to the moment Juvia had agreed to go out with him after he'd asked her, he had managed to manifest a projection of her from that moment in time. His blue haired girlfriend smiled, helping him to his feet.
"You've found the strength to fight Gray, but now you've got to follow through," Silver spoke up, cutting through Gray's shocked stupor. "If you don't start fighting back now, you'll lose everything!"
"Your Father is right Gray," the memory Juvia agreed as she cupped his cheek in a tenderly manner. "I can only do so much as a memory of Juvia to support you, but I'll support you as best as I can! Now, you remember what Natsu told you was the solution to expelling The Darkness' influence?"
"Acceptance," Gray replied quietly, as Juvia held his hand. "I have to come to terms with what I've done and move on, right?"
"And where do you think the best place to start would be," memory Juvia asked kindly, as Gray thought it over.
"Probably at the beginning?"
"And what is the beginning do you think?"
"Well…I'd assume it would be what caused this whole mess in the first place? Right?"
"That's right," Juvia beamed. "That memory holds the most influence over you, and is the primary one that The Darkness is using to tether itself to your mind. And, in case you were curious, the second most important memory is your hatred of Demons that stems from the Deliora incident."
"Then shouldn't I focus on that memory?"
"No. Whilst it is important, your hatred of Demons has a justified reasoning at its core, which is why it isn't the primary root The Darkness is using," memory Juvia replied, shaking her head. "Think about what brought you into the clutches of The Darkness' control?"
Closing his eyes, Gray pondered what memory Juvia asked him, as he thought back to all the times he'd cursed Natsu. Eventually, he realized which memory it was, sighing deeply.
"It was when I betrayed him, rallying the Guild against him…"
"That's right. When you learned the truth of what Natsu was, and that all of your closest friends in the Guild supported him, that was the key moment that gave The Darkness an opening."
"Okay… So, we know that," Gray spoke aloud, trying to make sure he understood what was happening. "So, now I just have to come to terms with what I did that day?"
"That's right Gray," memory Juvia nodded in reply. "You need to accept what you did that day, and move on, despite knowing all that came from it."
"But how can I accept it? I basically screwed the entire Guild over doing what I did!? Because of me, the Guild fractured, the Council were easily able to move in and kick the rest of us while we were down-!?"
"Gray," memory Juvia cut in, pinching his lips shut. "Stop."
"…"
"Let's go through it one step at a time… Okay?"
"Okay Juvia," Gray replied, clearly tired as she gently walked him through the memory, as Silver watched them silently interact from the background.
'So, that's the girl my Son seems to have found himself? Heh. She reminds me a lot of you Mika,' Silver thought to himself as he watched the darkness creep closer. 'I'll do what I can for our Son Mika, so just wait for me a little bit longer…'
*POTD*
As Gray struggled to accept what The Darkness had twisted him to do, Natsu danced around a series of swift slashes. The Darkness had chased him throughout the city, with the pair ending up near the frozen form of Magnolia Park.
As he evaded the last strike, Natsu felt a slight flicker of Devil's Aura from within The Darkness' form. He knew full well that it wasn't The Darkness' doing, as a small grin wormed its way onto his face.
'So, you managed to figure it out, eh? Mind games and droning on about feelings and other seemingly pointless stuff may seem inconsequential, but if you want to be able to use the gift Silver left you in that left eye then you've got to let it all go and move past it all…'
Sidestepping another strike, Natsu was about to counter when he saw a massive blue blast tear up a large section of Magnolia Forest. It didn't take a genius to know that it was Elise, who likely was getting annoyed fighting a bunch of snow clones.
'Seriously Elise? Of all the times to be throwing God's Aura around, you choose now!?'
Natsu was snapped back to attention, as a brutal kick sent him flying through the park and into a nearby building. Smashing through the front window, he hit the back wall and fell down.
"Ugh… Okay, not cool," the Devil muttered, dragging himself to his feet as he vanished, reappearing on the main street in a streak of crimson, clashing with The Darkness once again.
"You continue to resist Natsu Dragneel!"
"You better believe I do," Natsu huffed in reply, as he felt his Aura weakening. "Tch-!"
"Your power is waning fast… You're finished!"
'I really hope Gray is about done in there, because my power IS draining fast! I need a nap…'
As Natsu felt himself beginning to be pushed back by The Darkness, there was a sudden shift in Gray's eyes, as the pressure halved almost immediately.
"Na…tsu…!"
'H-He's actually fighting back,' Natsu realized, as he noticed The Darkness' moves become extremely sluggish.
"N-No! This pointless resistance is futile! You will OBEY!"
"Don't listen to him Gray," Natsu called out as he quickly shattered the ice blade The Darkness held, pinning Gray's form to the ground. "Keep it up!"
"N-NooooOOOO-ATSU! BACK…NOW!"
Feeling a sudden surge of Magic beneath him, Natsu vanished, smashing through another shopfront and diving down, right as a powerful blast of raw Magic rocked the town.
As he remained down, Natsu could already feel the rapid shift in the local temperature, as it began returning to normal. Rising to his feet, he was happy to see that the blizzard had ceased completely, the snow already beginning to melt away as he looked toward the still form of Gray himself.
The black marking across his body had rescinded, now localized only across his left eye and down to his left pectoral, the eye itself glowing Crimson Red as he looked up at the sky, tears streaming down his cheeks.
"Gray," Natsu called out, as he ran toward the man. "You did it!"
"No thanks to your cryptic shit flame brain," Gray replied, as Natsu laughed him off. "Why couldn't you just say I had to accept all the things I'd done over the last seven years and it would let me access the Devil's Aura my Dad gave me through his Lacrima?"
"Because it doesn't work like that Gray. I could tell you, but you'd try and go about it the easy way, and that wouldn't have worked."
"Why not?"
"The memory that helped you played a large role in kicking The Darkness out. It helped you come to terms with what you had done, something you couldn't have done on your own, or with my help."
Gray clearly didn't understand what Natsu was talking about, but before he could question it further, The Darkness manifested nearby, its form morphing into that of a frowning face.
"Well now, would you look at that," Natsu smirked. "Looks like you get to float all the way back to Alvarez to report your failure, eh?"
"Laugh all you want Dragneel, Lord Zeref shall be most displeased," The Darkness growled in response. "Perhaps he shall be displeased enough to have our newest prisoner killed?"
"Leave this place," Natsu commanded the entity, as The Darkness shriveled up into nothing, vanishing from the area.
The moment The Darkness vanished, Gray dropped to one knee as the Devil's Aura in his left eye deactivated, the black marking rescinding into a small scar just around his eye.
"Looks like you need to train yourself in sustaining that," Natsu sighed, deactivating his own Devil's Aura, as the pair sat down in the destroyed street. "Are you gonna be alright Gray? I know firsthand how that thing gets into your head, so if you want any help, or someone to talk to-?"
"I'll be fine Natsu," Gray sighed, avoiding his gaze as he thought about everything that just happened. "Any idea who that prisoner it mentioned was?"
"I can't confirm it," Natsu sighed, looking toward the Guild Hall. "But I have a strong suspicion that its gramps."
"What!?"
"He's not been seen even once over the years, and I doubt he's dead. I think he went to Alvarez and got himself captured at some point," Natsu elaborated, as he shakily rose to his feet. "Either way, it looks like I'm going to have to go over there and find out?"
"You're gonna go to the Alvarez Empire when you haven't even got access to all your power!? Natsu, are you fucking insane!?"
"I don't really have a choice Gray, I've got to save gramps," Natsu sighed tiredly. "Most others were quick to condemn me for being E.N.D, but gramps never did. Despite it all, he had faith in me all the way…"
"Listen Natsu, I'm sorry about-!"
Gray was silenced as Natsu swiftly raised his right hand, shaking his head as he turned to look out at Magnolia.
"I don't want an apology Gray, I want action."
"Action…?"
"Clean up the mess you've caused with the Guild whilst I'm in Alvarez getting the old man back," Natsu asked him, as the Ice Make Mage shakily rose to his feet.
"I'll do what I can Natsu, but-."
"I know. You've still got your own shit to get sorted up here," Natsu replied, tapping the side of his head. "You don't have to do it right away, Laxus and Jellal will also need help dealing with Avatar."
"Right… They want to revive that War Titan," Gray sighed, running a hand through his hair. "So you're going to Alvarez, and I'll help get the Guild back together and help Laxus and Jellal deal with Avatar?"
"I'm gonna be taking Erza, Elise and Wendy with me to Alvarez, since I highly doubt any of those three are gonna let me go alone-."
As Natsu mentioned them, the trio arrived in their area with Erza immediately making a beeline for Gray, only for Natsu to move in front of him, shaking his head.
"Gray is not to be punished."
"Are you kidding me!? He tried to kill us!"
"The Darkness possessed him, just as it once possessed me," Natsu replied firmly, with the others seemingly surprised at that revelation.
"Wait, you mean that monstrosity Zeref made," Elise asked, activating her God's Aura and scanning the area.
"It's already run off back to Zeref."
"Influence of that thing or not, that excuse isn't going to fly for the rest of the Guild," Wendy chimed in bluntly, a hand on her hip as she surveyed the area. "Let alone the people who used to live here?"
"Listen, I know I messed up by letting that thing possess me, but I'm going to be doing everything I can to make up for it," Gray replied firmly. "Even after the city is built and everything else is dealt with, I'll go to prison if that's what everyone wants-?"
"I'd rather you didn't go to prison…"
Gray froze, as everyone looked behind the man to see Juvia walking calmly down the ruined street. She appeared somewhat frazzled, but otherwise fine, as Gray slowly turned around to meet her gaze.
"Juvia…"
"I knew there was something off about how you'd been behaving," the Water Mage continued, reaching Gray's position. "But not even I would have predicted it would be something so sinister?"
"Juvia I-!"
Juvia silenced Gray by placing a finger to his lips, a gentle smile on her face as she placed her left hand on his chest.
"I've waiting long enough for my boyfriend to come to his senses. Now that you're back, I'm not going to allow you to end up in jail."
"B-But Juvia-?"
"Shut up and listen to her Gray," Natsu sighed, shaking his head. "No one wants you in jail. Its not completely your fault. Just do everything you can to make amends and we'll all call it even?"
"You guys," Gray replied, turning around to face them before collapsing, being caught by Juvia who gently laid him down.
"Was wondering when he'd pass out? Being possessed drains you," Natsu answered them, as the group all looked toward him. "Seeing as you're all here, I suppose its time I reveal our next move?"
"Which is," Erza asked curiously, eliciting a knowing chuckle from the Devil.
"I'm about ninety percent sure that gramps was captured by Alvarez," Natsu explained, leading the entire group to be shocked into disbelief. "Long story short, we have to go over to the Alvarez Empire and save him."
"Are you sure that's a good idea Natsu," Elise asked almost immediately. "You don't even have your powers?"
"I managed to regain access to my Devil's Aura, as well as my natural E.N.D abilities. I was hoping I'd get a Dragon Slaying element first, but I'll take what I can get until the rest trickles back in."
"So Gray isn't evil and we're going to Alvarez," Erza sighed, not even surprised at the sudden turn of events. "Where exactly do we go from here?"
"Well, if gramps is captured by the Empire, he's likely being held in the capital city Vistarion," Natsu replied. "Which means we basically will need to head all the way to the heart of the Empire."
"So if you have access to your Devil's Aura again, does that mean you can just warp us over there?"
"Unfortunately not. Though I've got access to my Aura again, I don't have access to making Gates yet," Natsu sighed. "Which means that we're going by boat."
"Well then, seems like we'd better get going then? Sounds like it'll be a long journey, huh Dad?"
"Not today," Natsu replied, shaking his head. "I'm dead tired after fending off The Darkness for like two hours straight."
"I suppose we'll hold off going anywhere until we've got some rest in," Elise shrugged, as everyone looked up at the Guild Hall.
"We should be able to rest up in the Guild Hall," Erza said, as Elise picked up the unconscious form of Gray.
"Place is dusty as Hell though, just a fair warning," Natsu chuckled, before looking over to Wendy. "I'll let you fix that problem."
"No air attacks inside the Guild Hall," Erza said firmly, already knowing just how bad of an idea it was.
"Okay, maybe just use a modest amount of Wind Magic and call it a day," Natsu laughed, as the group made their way back up to the Guild Hall, not even remotely prepared for the mission they were about to embark on…