(Edited 29/10/24)
I do not own Fairy Tail Hiro Mashima does.
Return To Fiore
*POTD*
Team Natsu had been waiting around near the giant tree for over half a day now. Erza had long since woken up, speaking but a few words to her friends, before sitting atop a nearby rock, her gaze locked onto the palace in the distance.
The tense silence within the camp was shattered as Natsu abruptly emerged from a portal, marching forward as his eyes met Erza's for the briefest of moments. It was immediately obvious that something was bothering him.
From the way he walked, to the hard gaze and the light shaking of his hands…
"I wonder where he's been," Elise muttered curiously, as Erza stood up silently in response.
Everyone watched the Requip Mage quietly walk after the Dragon Slayer, her expression blank and the tension in the air only increasing.
"Uh… Should we stop her or something," Jason asked, looking up to Wendy who stood there with crossed arms, a firm gaze of her own as she watched the pair walk into some nearby ruins.
"No. Better they sort whatever this shit is out now, rather than later."
"All this drama, you'd think they were still in their teens," Kurtz chuckled softly to himself, with Makarov nodding in agreement.
"If there was a couple who did deserve to act like teenagers, it would be them, seeing as they never really got proper childhoods," the aged Guild Master sighed. "Best to leave them be everyone. I'm sure they'll work through their issues."
The group silently agreed, deciding to go back to what they had been doing prior to Natsu's return. Elise and Wendy shared a brief look, the pair both knowing that there was something wrong with Natsu.
They only hoped that the pair would be able to peacefully reconcile. Otherwise, things might not go well for them moving forward…
*POTD*
Natsu walked through the ruins without sparing the ancient architecture a second glance, his mind constantly plagued by all that Zeref had just shown him.
It was one thing to have been told that Achnologia was the one responsible for the death of his parents, and the reason as to why he was now the Demon King E.N.D, but to actually witness it firsthand… It was truly something else.
What made it even worse was seeing the entire ordeal from Zeref's perspective. His Brother truly loved him, and made a deal with that strange Ahnkseram being to bring him back to life. His Brother had made a great sacrifice to ensure he got to live, and now he'd have to throw it back in Zeref's face, fighting for Fiore, a country that he often thought lowly of.
If he was being completely honest, Natsu was starting to wonder if a united world really would be as bad as he'd initially thought it would be…
Shaking his head quickly, he dismissed those darker thoughts. After all, he had to remember that the Zeref of today wasn't completely himself. Somewhere, deep within his Brother, Ahnkseram was there, pulling the strings.
Ahnkseram being within his Brother raised countless questions in his mind. Did Zeref have full control over himself when committing many of the atrocities history states he did? Or, was Ahnkseram the one doing it, even if only at a subconscious level?
Regardless of what the answer ultimately was, it had been almost eight hundred years since that fateful day. The world at large wouldn't care about their plight, nor would they care about Ahnkseram's presence within Zeref.
He knew that his Brother would have to pay for the myriad of crimes and the countless horrors he'd unleashed across Earthland. The people wouldn't accept anything less than his death, and he knew that.
"Damn it," Natsu sighed, running a hand through his hair, his hands still shaking like a leaf, as he tried to pull himself together.
Natsu liked to think he was much calmer, what with him being firmly entrenched in adulthood. However, this was one of those times where he was reminded that, despite being older and wiser, there were always going to be times where he simply can't handle things on his own…
His parents were unfairly killed, he himself was killed, and his Brother was forced to play host to Ahnkseram, the First Hybrid. Knowing all that had been lost just to see him here, it hurt him in a way he'd never been hurt before.
Gritting his teeth, Natsu sniffed as tears streamed down his cheeks, his legs giving out as he dropped to all fours, doing everything in his power to not have a full-on breakdown.
Such was the sight Erza had stumbled across, the Requip Mage having expected them to discuss their earlier argument, was so wholly unprepared for his distressed state, that she found herself moving on instinct.
Crouching down next to him, Erza pushed all her anger and frustration to the side, enveloping him into a gentle hug which he made no attempt to resist.
"Natsu… Talk to me Natsu," Erza whispered, gently petting the top of his head as he went almost limp in her arms, forcing her to sit down with his head in her lap. "What's going on?"
"I-I saw my parents," Natsu croaked, surprising Erza, who had never heard Natsu discuss his true parents before. "Zeref showed me my parents, our old home, and what happened to it all… My parents sacrificed themselves so that we could live, but-!"
"But?"
"But then I died, Erza," Natsu managed to say, his voice cracking from the sheer stress. "Zeref… He became what he is today, just so he could save me…"
"So you had a talk as Brothers, not enemies," Erza replied gently, running her fingers through his hair. "I have to admit, that is a lot to take in, but at least you know now, right?"
"I'm not too sure if I'm glad I know or not," the Dragon Slayer sighed, wiping the tears from his eyes. "Because now I have to live with the fact that everything Zeref's ever done to the world was basically because of me-."
"No! Absolutely not," Erza cut in immediately, her fingers stilling in his hair. "You absolutely aren't responsible for all that he's done! You can't be blamed for his actions, only he can!"
"But if it wasn't for my death, Zeref wouldn't have become a host to Ahnkseram, which means none of what we've been dealing with would have ever happened," Natsu countered, only for Erza to slowly shake her head.
"You don't know that Natsu, and you won't ever know. Why? Well, the answer is rather simple," Erza replied firmly, cupping his cheeks and ensuring he was looking at her as she spoke. "The history we live now is what's real, not these false what if scenarios you're making up in your mind. You need to calm down and take a deep breath, okay?"
Natsu sighed but did as Erza instructed, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, before exhaling. He did so several more times, before slowly opening his eyes once more, somewhat more composed than before.
"Even if we say it was in the hands of Fate, it doesn't change the fact that countless innocent deaths could have been avoided, had Zeref not been forced to allow Ahnkseram into himself. Zeref becoming a Hybrid as a result of my death brought about the deaths of untold millions at the hands of both himself, and the Alvarez Empire… That much you can't deny."
"No, I suppose I can't deny that," Erza admitted, before shaking her head. "But you're alive, and you're in the here and now. Knowing what you do now, will you lay here in the ruins of a forgotten town and forever lament what could have been? Or, will you rise up, head back to Fiore with us, and lead the fight against Alvarez to ensure not a single life more will be lost?"
"…I'll fight, obviously. It's just going to be a lot harder now that I know the truth about my Brother, and why he thinks and acts the way he does," Natsu muttered quietly, as he slowly sat up, turning around to face Erza. "Listen, I know I've been a horrible boyfriend to you, and I don't deserve you helping me right now-."
"Shh," Erza replied, pressing a finger to his lips. "You aren't entirely to blame. The fact is, you're beyond Human, and you've got so many roles and responsibilities you're trying to juggle, along with all the stresses of what's going on now. I definitely didn't handle the reveal of Irene being my Mother well at all, and I should have listened to your side before saying anything-."
"You were perfectly justified to react how you did Erza," Natsu cut in, gently removing her finger from his lips. "I should have told you, even if I promised Irene I wouldn't. You had a right to know, it wasn't for me to hide."
"I'll admit, its hard to know you hid it from me, but I also can't truly hold this against you," Erza sighed, a sad smile on her face. "Years ago, when you came back from Scarlione, you told me you'll always keep your promises, and you have. How can I fault you for sticking to…well…a promise you made to me?"
"Does this mean you forgive me?"
"A little," Erza replied, a sly smirk worming its way onto her face. "I might be more inclined to forgive you if you can make it up to me somehow?"
"Hmm… I'm sure I can think of something," the Dragon Slayer smiled briefly, before taking her hands into his own. "Are you sure you're okay with this…? I mean, I did do you wrong Erza-?"
"Enough," Erza replied gently, giving his hands a soft squeeze. "I don't want to dwell on it. Our lives are so full of negativity, so let me enjoy just being able to hold you…"
"You're gonna make me cry again, damn woman," Natsu laughed, covering his eyes as Erza giggled along with him, gently moving his arm away so she could look him in the eyes.
"There's something we need to discuss Natsu, and I think you already know what it is…"
"Y-You're talking about-!?"
"The invasion of Alvarez is close, and we'll need to spend every waking moment preparing, planning, fortifying and recruiting across Fiore. That means we won't really have any free time together," Erza explained, as the pair both stood up, dusting themselves off. "Once the war hits, any one of us could be killed you know? Its not a certainty that the two of us will survive so, in regards to the whole wedding thing-?"
"You don't think it can happen," Natsu cut in, sounding sad, but understanding at the logic Erza was using.
"Not necessarily," came the rather shy response, which certainly raised an eyebrow. "We're about to enter one of the greatest wars this planet has ever borne, with all the strongest beings on the planet fighting against each other, millions of lives on the line… So I was thinking, and prepared an alternative."
Erza stepped backward, blushing furiously, as her body began to glow a bright white color, blinding him momentarily. But once it died down, Natsu almost felt like he'd been blinded a second time.
Not from the light… But rather, from Erza's own radiance.
His jaw dropped as Erza stepped forward, clad in a rather simplistic yet alluring wedding dress. The material was plain white, the dress tight enough to accentuate all her feminine curves, with the lower half exposing her legs which were clad in white stockings and high heel boots.
Her hair at the back remained in a long braid that ran down to ankle length, similar to her Mother. But her fringe was slicked back, exposing more of her forehead and giving her a somewhat tomboyish look.
"I bought it last minute, so its nothing fancy, but-."
"Erza… We need to get married right now," Natsu blurted out, as her cheeks reddened even further. "You're right, this is probably our last chance to do this… So, let's do it right."
Erza watched as Natsu's clothing began to morph all across his body, shifting into an all black suit with a white undershirt, and a bow tie that was half red, half blue. His hair was slicked back, accentuating his middle aged appearance further, as the stubble across his face evened out, giving him a roguishly handsome look.
"I don't think marrying in this shithole will be the memorable wedding you deserve," Natsu smirked, offering her his arm, which she immediately accepted. "Come."
With a snap of his fingers, Natsu opened up a portal, with the pair slowly strolling through, bright smiles on their faces as they eagerly anticipated what was to come.
*POTD*
The pair emerged in a field of sunflowers that stretched as far as the eye could see. Erza was amazed, looking up at the clear blue skies above, wondering just where in the world Natsu had taken her.
As she looked around, there was a town visible in the distance, and a palace sitting atop a hill near the town. Closer to them was a modest cottage, though Erza paid it no mind as she took in the sights.
"Natsu, this place is beautiful… Where on Earthland are we!?"
"We aren't on Earthland anymore, Erza," Natsu replied with a cheeky grin, shocking his bride to be, who hadn't actually expected Natsu to take her to another whole world. "Like Eliza, I too have the ability to go to other worlds using Gates, and I decided to bring us here…"
"And where is here?"
"This place is called Dressrosa, known as the city of love and passion! When I thought about a nice place to get married, this location popped into my mind. I hope you like it…?"
"Like it? Natsu, its perfect," Erza replied softly, as the pair strolled leisurely through the sunflower field, coming to a stop under a large tree at the center of the field itself.
"You want to do it here?"
"I'd pick anywhere in this field," Erza smiled, just happy that they were finally going through with the marriage he'd proposed so long ago.
"Alright then," Natsu smiled, as they each summoned a box from their respective Requip Spaces, bearing their chosen rings for the other. "You want to go first, or me?"
"Who's meant to go first?"
"Uh…I don't know? I've never really done a wedding before," Natsu laughed awkwardly. "I suppose I can go first, if you'd like me to?"
"Go ahead," the scarlet haired bride beamed, as Natsu slowly opened the box containing the ring he'd gotten for Erza.
Rather fittingly for a man of his wealth, Natsu had gotten her a ring made from pure diamond. The diamond band was shaped like a Dragon, a small ruby embedded into its tiny mouth that gave the band a reddish hue to it that had the initials ND etched into them.
"Within this ring is a separate space that you can store more Armors for your Requip Magic," Natsu smiled, surprising Erza at the rather impressive feat of Magic. "Eliza had to help me figure out how to make it so that the space stays open forever. Aura coming in clutch as always…"
"Oh my goodness… That's wonderful," Erza replied, genuinely blown away at the thoughtfulness of the addition to her ring. "I also had Eliza help me with the ring I got for you, but in a different way…"
As Erza opened the box, it blew Natsu's expectations out of the water. The ring she'd made was identical to the one he'd made her, right down to the ruby embedded into the mouth. This one, however, had the initials ED etched into them.
"Seems like Eliza wanted us to match?"
"I think its rather romantic, don't you?"
"Yeah," Natsu chuckled lightly in response. "Yeah, it is."
"It took me some time to figure out what kind of ring I wanted to give you, but then I realized just what would help you the most. I based it on the Lacrima you placed into the Armor you made for me. This ring when you wear it grants you access to an infinite space where you can store Magical Power."
"No way…"
"It doesn't automatically generate it or anything, so you'd have to charge it yourself. But still, I know that it will help you somewhere down the line, right?"
"…"
"Do you like it," Erza asked shyly, as Natsu struggled not to start bawling his eyes out in front of her.
"Erza… This ring, it beats out my scarf from Igneel by a mile," he replied honestly, shocking the bride to be, knowing that the scarf was one of his most prized possessions.
"Hmph! I'll remember this slight brat," Igneel huffed from within him, though Natsu could tell there was no malice behind it. "Now hurry up and Wife this female up! All this sappy stuff is killing me!"
Natsu couldn't help but grin, hearing the faintest sound of a sniffle from the Dragon, as Erza slid her ring onto the fourth finger of his left hand, with Natsu doing the same for her shortly after.
"Right then… I suppose we should do some vows, right?"
"Do you know any vows, or are you just doing this off the cuff," Erza questioned him playfully, eliciting a shaky chuckle in response.
"Did you have any doubt that it was going to be off the cuff?"
"Of course it is," the bride to be smiled knowingly. "It just would be us if it wasn't, would it?"
"Alright," Natsu sighed, taking a deep breath to steel himself. "I'll go first since you put my ring on first…"
"Okay," Erza beamed, barely able to contain her excitement, trying not to bounce around in her heels.
"Erza. A long time ago, we spoke by the river near Magnolia, and you opened up to me about the Hell that was the Tower of Heaven. On that day, I swore I'd be there with you until the end. However, I broke that promise to you in order to gain the strength to protect those I love…"
Erza nodded stiffly, remembering the agonizing near decade long absence of the Dragon Slayer. The uncertainty surrounding his survival, and the gaping hole it had left in her heart, cut deep, and she'd spent many nights either crying alone, or with Mirajane…
"When I returned, you were willing to forgive me, despite breaking that promise. I knew it wasn't the gifts I gave you, or the fact that I'd become responsible and dependable like you always used to beat into me when we were younger… It was love that allowed you to forgive me, even if I didn't forgive myself for breaking that promise."
"Natsu…"
"Since I returned, we've been on many adventures, been all over the place, and learned so many new and exciting things. Even after we starting dating in Scarlione, we kept things at their usual pace, knowing by that point that our lives weren't going to be any less hectic than they already are," Natsu continued, looking down at their linked fingers. "But here we now stand, prepared to tie the knot. As you know, I can no longer make promises like those in the past, given what I am. But that being said, there is ONE promise I can make…"
Erza gently bit her bottom lip, eagerly awaiting his next words.
"Erza Scarlett… I, Natsu Dragneel, will love and cherish you for as long as I'm able. All my power, my strength, my soul… I entrust it to you, my soon to be Wife," Natsu spoke softly, his voice cracking slightly as Erza gently squeezed his hands in support. "Regardless of the outcome following the war, let it not be said we didn't give each other all we had in the end…"
"I'm supposed to speak, but you're gonna get me crying," Erza sniffled, stifling her tears as Natsu chuckled lightly, the pair inching forward ever so slightly. "I-I'm going to get mine out of the way quickly before I becoming a sobbing mess!"
"Go on Erza, I'm listening…"
"Natsu. Many years ago, I poured my heart out to you, and in return, you opened yours to me. After all the torture and maiming I endured in the Tower of Heaven, you stole my heart that day. Though I tried to train you to be as strong as me, I now know that I simply wasn't equipped to give you what you really needed. Only Gildarts could have forged you into the man you are today… The man I love."
"…Erza."
"There are legends…Fairy Tales, of Knights defeating Dragons in a variety of ways. Some slay the Dragon, some simply subdue them, and others outwit them. But today, a new Fairy Tale is born, and its one I hope to spread to the entire world once that horrible war is done and gone… I subdued my Dragon through love."
The pair inched even closer, their hands gently tightening as Erza's voice dropped to a low whisper.
"I know that you aren't Human. You're a being made up of many things now, through no choice of your own. But to me, you'll always just be Natsu, my future Husband," Erza continued quietly. "There will always be challenges in our lives going forward into the future. But I'm confident that, in the end, we'll overcome them together. You and I, Natsu Dragneel, are Fairy Tail's Oberon and Titania… You're my King, and I'm your Queen. So, you know what needs to happen now…?"
Natsu didn't even need to be told twice, as the pair enveloped each other in a passionate kiss. Erza wrapped her arms around his shoulders, one hand running through his hair, as his strong arms held her close and secure, just how she liked it.
Their tongues battled for dominance, but Erza quickly found herself losing due to the situation, as they finally broke apart for air. Licking his lips, Natsu smirked in her direction, bopping her on the nose with his index finger.
"You may now kiss the bride," the Dragon Slayer said cheekily, earning him an amused giggle in response.
"Bit late for that line, isn't it, my Husband," Erza asked in an equally cheeky tone, only for the pair to freeze upon hearing clapping nearby.
Turning to face the direction of the clapping, the pair were surprised to see two pink haired girls happily clapping away. They were clearly Mother and Daughter, the youngest of the pair happily tossing sunflower petals into the air, as a rather tall, intimidating man watched from behind them, an amused smirk on his face.
"Sorry! We couldn't help but applaud for the two of you," the older pink haired woman said, as the trio approached them. "You two reminded my Husband and I of our own wedding, so we had to come watch!"
"Yeah. A secret wedding, away from prying eyes," the large man muttered. "It sure brings back memories…"
"Oh, but where are our manners!? My name is Scarlett, and this is my Husband Kyros," the woman continued quickly, as she scooped up the giggling young girl into her arms. "And this little bundle of joy is our Daughter, Rebecca!"
"Nice to meet you all," Erza smiled, as Natsu leaned in to look at the young girl, who was still clinging onto one last sunflower.
"Thank you for the sunflower petals, young one. They really helped a whole bunch," Natsu smiled kindly, which drew a series of giggles from the girl.
"She can't speak yet, but we're expecting her to start any day now," Scarlett replied in place of her Daughter. "Congratulations on your wedding though! Sorry to interrupt at the end there…"
"It's quite alright," Natsu replied, as he looked toward his new Wife happily. "It was kind of a spontaneous decision to have it now…"
His eyes met those of Kyros, the man's eyes widening by a hair, before he abruptly nodded in understanding, looking down toward his own Wife and Daughter.
"Come on Scarlett, let's leave them be," the large man spoke gently, as his Wife passed Rebecca over to him. "Congratulations and… I hope everything works out for you both."
With that, the small family walked off in the direction of the small cottage nearby, leaving Natsu and Erza alone under the shade of the tree.
"Hey Natsu?"
"Hm?"
"D-Do you think that one day…"
"That one day we could be like them," came his immediate response, surprising the Requip Mage, as she squeezed his hand tighter. "I want to believe that we could… Though, having kids-?"
"L-Let's not go there just yet," Erza panted, a fierce blush on her face as she placed a hand over her stomach. "I forbid you to bring up the idea of us having kids… Oh my God…"
"Are you…drooling?"
"N-No," the definitely not drooling Erza replied sharply, as she looked away briefly. "I-I suppose now that we're married, we should head back, right!?"
"Well, we could go back straight away? Or, we could have ourselves a little honeymoon first," Natsu suggested, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.
"Where and how long," Erza replied immediately, as Natsu opened another Gate.
"Let's find that out together…Erza Dragneel?"
Erza laughed as they strolled through the portal, trusting Natsu implicitly with his choice, as the pair would have their short but sweet honeymoon period in peace.
*POTD*
Back on Earthland, the rest of the group were waiting around for Erza and Natsu to return. Elise had sensed them disappear somewhere else. But beyond that, no one knew where they were, or what they were doing?
So, when a Gate appeared, and the pair strolled out, looking like they were glowing, eyebrows were certainly raised. However, it was Elise's squealing that really ramped things up, as she pointed toward Erza's fancy new wedding ring.
"I don't believe it! You guys started off all broody and mad, but you come back MARRIED!? AND WHERE THE HELL WAS MY INVITE!?"
"Heh. Sorry Elise, it was a spur of the moment thing," Natsu chuckled in reply, as Makarov stepped up to the pair.
"Congratulations are certainly in order. Hopefully, once we get back to Fiore and get the Guild back together, we can have a big party to celebrate? But I do have to ask, what exactly brought this about?"
"Given what we're soon facing, we decided that ultimately, we'd rather give each other all the love we can and tie the knot, rather than leave any regrets."
"If either of us die in the war, the other would have to live knowing we spent our final moments fighting, when we ultimately love each other anyway," Erza chimed in, which gave Makarov pause. "Knowing that I've married Natsu, I can walk into this with no regrets."
"And you, Natsu?"
"I'm of the same mind Makarov. You and I both know that my position means I don't have a lot of time for my own wants and needs. But to be able to say I did everything I could with Erza before the end… I could die happily."
"You damn brats aren't so bratty anymore," Makarov sighed, his arms lengthening to take both their hands. "For what little this old man's words are worth… I'm incredibly proud and elated to see you've both finally married. Honestly, I'd expected Erza to force it years ago…"
"I'm sure that in a perfect world, Erza definitely would have," Natsu chuckled, as they shared a loving glance. "Regardless, we're all set to return to Fiore when everyone is ready-?"
"Oi! Oi, old man!"
"Ah yes," Natsu chuckled, as Jason ran at him, his fist ablaze with blue fire that was effortlessly caught and extinguished. "My best man!"
"I did what you asked me to old man, and those ladies said I could join the Guild and you'd teach me all sorts of broken Magic!"
"I said he MIGHT teach you broken Magic," Wendy sighed, shrugging as Natsu shot her an amused smirk. "Hey, don't give me that look. You've got a precedent for doing that."
"She's right," Elise smirked, gently nudging his shoulder. "Seriously though, the kid was a lot of help. Let him join."
"Eh, okay," Natsu shrugged in reply. "Where do you want your Guild Mark, and in what colour?"
"Right shoulder. And make it the same blue as my fire!"
"You got it kid," Natsu smirked, flicking his arm and knocking him over, the Guild Mark seemingly burnt into his skin, though it was purely for show. "Welcome to Fairy Tail brat. I'll be putting you through the grinder when time permits."
"Aw yeah! Finally, I'll be able to fight Alvarez properly!"
"Heh. You're not even that weak kid," Natsu sighed, opening another Gate. "Alright everyone, listen up! This Gate leads back home, so go on through! You too Kurtz, you'll be getting your Guild Mark too."
"Wait, you'd let me join too?"
"Of course," Natsu smirked, watching as Makarov practically pushed the Vampire through the Gate. "Everyone, go on through! Nice and orderly!"
Once everyone was through the Gate, Natsu turned around and noticed Zeref standing nearby. Slowly, he moved to stand a few meters away from his older Brother.
"Congratulations on your wedding Natsu. I was there, as you could probably tell, but I didn't want to interrupt the moment."
"I know. Thanks for bringing Irene to see it, even if it was from a distance," Natsu replied curtly. "I know she wanted to see Erza and I tie the knot."
"She's still crying about it back in her room at the palace," Zeref chuckled lightly in response, rolling his eyes. "But I'm curious, what of the other two outside observers?"
The Brothers looked up to see Lord Life and Lady Death standing above them, eyeing the pair curiously.
"Why do you continue to toy with his power? His Core has healed enough to where he only need wait for the God's Aura to trigger itself," Zeref asked, which seemed to amuse the pair.
"Well, that's just it, isn't it?"
"Playing games is so much fun."
"We hardly ever get to do anything these days…"
"So the idea of playing-."
"-is simply too much fun!"
"As cute as that was, can I have my other abilities back please?"
Life and Death seemed to ponder his request for a moment, looking down upon him as they flicked marbles idly back and forth between one another.
"Should we give them back, Sister dearest?"
"I suppose we should, Brother dearest. After all, he has done quite well up until now, hasn't he?"
"Yes indeed. His core can certainly handle it I'd wager."
"Let him take the other abilities back all at once then," Lady Death smirked, pulling out another marble. "This should be fun to watch!"
Flicking the marble directly at Natsu's forehead, the Dragon Slayer braced for the somewhat mild blow to come. However, unlike all the previous marbles, this one had substantially more behind it, smashing him deep into the earth below as it collapsed all around him.
"Hm. You know, that wasn't really very fun," Death sighed. "Now I just feel bad."
"He's immortal Sister, he'll be fine."
"Immortal in the higher realms, yes. Out here, he simply is ageless," Death replied, as a tonne of rock was thrown out of the hole, coated in a deep purple glow, followed shortly by Natsu shooting out of the hole.
"That really hurt," Natsu huffed, landing next to Zeref as the Primordials looked down upon the pair in amusement.
"The two Brothers standing side by side Sister… How quaint."
"Two Hybrids. Two Brothers. Its quite a phenomenon, to be sure," Death agreed, before leaning down slightly to look the pair in the eyes. "One True, the other a mere inheritor…"
The pair waved and vanished in wisps of black and white, leaving the Dragneel Brothers alone for the moment.
"You know, as weird as they are… I actually do like them," Natsu chuckled to himself.
"I don't see eye to eye with them, so I can't comment," Zeref replied, as Natsu opened up another Gate.
"Well, this is it then. For real this time?"
"Perhaps? Or, perhaps there just might be one more fated meeting in store," Zeref replied cryptically, as Natsu stepped toward the portal. "Either way, I expect nothing but the best from you, Brother."
"Same to you, Brother."
With that, Natsu departed through his Gate, as Zeref opened his own Gate, returning to the palace to begin planning the next phase of the war…
*POTD*
Emerging through the portal, he could see the others settling in around the Guild Hall. Makarov seemed shocked at the state of it, but made no comment for the moment.
"Finally decided to join us," Erza asked, as the pair shared a quick kiss.
"Sorry. Zeref showed up, so we talked for a bit."
"Is everything settled between you two now, or…?"
"I assume so," Natsu shrugged in reply. "Hard to tell when you're dealing with him. So damn cryptic all the time…"
"So, since we're all back, I assume we're gonna link up with Crime Sorciere and the others, right," Elise asked curiously, eliciting a curt nod from Natsu.
"Now that I have full Devil's Aura control, I can bring Seilah here to give us all an update," Natsu replied, closing his eyes and alerting the Demoness to the fact that he was back and had Aura control.
Moments later, a portal opened up in the Guild Hall, as Seilah rushed out, a frantic look on her face. Behind her, several of the former Oracion Seis members hobbled through, as Natsu vanished, deflecting a powerful blast of Dark Magic back through the Gate.
"Master!"
"What the Hell is going on Seilah," Natsu huffed, as the Demoness shut the Gate.
"There isn't much time to explain Master! The Avatar Guild was much stronger than we predicted," the Demoness explained quickly. "They are currently in the process of cracking the tablet that contains the War Titan!"
Natsu didn't need to be told twice, immediately looking back to the group, who all nodded stiffly back at him.
"Right. You guys should stay here and recover," Natsu said to the injured Crime Sorciere Mages. "Gramps, you stay too along with Kurtz. Erza, Elise, Wendy, I need you three with me."
"You got it Natsu!"
"Of course."
"Got your back Dad."
"And you," Natsu said, turning to look toward Jason. "I've got an idea of how strong you are, but I need you to not bullshit me and tell me how durable you actually are?"
"Well, I can actually regenerate from fatal damage thanks to my Phoenix Slayer Magic," Jason said quietly, a little surprised at being put on the spot. "Is that good enough?"
"How fatal?"
"…I got shot in the head once and it grew back."
That surprised everyone, Natsu included, who knelt down to be on the teen's level, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder.
"You don't have to come if you don't want to. But if you do, I want you to stick with one of the girls, alright?"
"I'll come… I'm a member of Fairy Tail now, so-."
"Hey. You might be a part of our Guild, but don't think that means you have to go off into a fight like this," Natsu replied gently. "You obviously hate hearing it, but you're still a kid. We won't stop you from coming, but we won't ever force it on you. Okay?"
"I-I know… But even still, I'm gonna come and help," Jason replied firmly. "You guys took a chance on me, and I won't let you guys down!"
"Alright," Natsu smiled, looking up to the girls, before specifically looking toward Wendy. "Look after him, alright?"
"Of course Dad, you didn't even need to ask," Wendy replied, rolling her eyes in response, though there was a hint of a smirk on her face.
"Alright guys, let's get over there and help the others, eh," Natsu said, as Seilah opened a Gate to the location they'd just left. "Let's get in there!"
Team Natsu chanted in unison, charging through the Gate and leaving Makarov and Kurtz to tend to the injured Crime Sorciere members.
*POTD*
Emerging from the Gate, Natsu immediately deployed a massive Crash Barrier, blocking a barrage of spell fire that rained down all across the area. As the others emerged, the sound of countless people being blasted apart, and the roars of battle, caught them all of guard.
Yet they watched as Natsu almost robotically sprang into action, his Crash Barrier remaining stable as he utilized Gravity Magic to lift a section of the area upward, providing a buffer to the Council Forces in the area.
"It's a damn war zone out here," Erza shouted, her voice almost drowned out by the constant barrage of Black Magic peppering the area. "What the Hell is going on here!?"
"O-Oi! Is that E.N.D," one of the Council soldiers shrieked, startling all the others.
"What the Hell is he doing here!?"
Before any more of them could voice their shock, Natsu lifted the ground ahead of them even more, folding it over them like a protective sheet as another deadly barrage of Black Magic rained down upon them.
"Don't just sit there, or you'll get yourselves killed!"
"Did he… Did E.N.D just save us!?"
The Council troops were stunned, as Natsu pushed forward to the earthen barrier he'd created.
"Alright Seilah, who else is here that we know!?"
"Mirajane was assaulting the castle alongside Jellal, Laxus and the Thunder Legion, just before I came through!"
"Alright… Erza, Elise! I want you both to find and assist Mira, Laxus, Jellal and the Thunder Legion! I can sense a powerful Mage up there somewhere, so they might need help!"
"We're on it Natsu," Erza nodded, as both she and Elise shared a look. "Let's go!"
"Right," Elise nodded, as the pair darted out of cover, charging up the battered landscape and toward the castle.
"Wendy! You and Jason need to find the source of this constant barrage of explosive Dark Magic! I want them dealt with!"
"You can count on us Dad," Wendy nodded stiffly, before looking toward Jason. "Stick close!"
"Right!"
Wendy and the young teen also took off into the deadly, and seemingly endless, barrage of Black Magic, leaving Natsu and Seilah alone with the terrified Council troops.
"Alright. How many of you lot are here!?"
"T-There were a thousand of us… I don't know how many are left," the Rune Knight replied shakily, clutching his Magic Staff for dear life.
"And your Commanding Officer?"
"F-Fled…"
"Fuck. Alright… I know you guys are supposed to fight me on sight or whatever, but I need you to put that aside for the moment so I can help you all get out of this shitshow alive, okay?"
The Rune Knights looked between one another, before looking back at Natsu, nodding slowly. Truthfully, their nods actually surprised him, as he had expected them to still be fully hostile toward him.
"W-We don't want to die, E.N.D… If you'd show us mercy-!"
"Call me Natsu," came the dull response, as he turned to face the battlefield, his coat billowing in the wind. "Spread the word across the battlefield that you'll all have cover in a few moments. Seilah, you're with me."
"As you say, Master," the Demoness replied instantly, ignoring the shocked Rune Knights, as she followed Natsu out onto the battlefield.
As he emerged from cover, Natsu extended his right hand, raising multiple bits of cover out to the far right, as he swatted aside Black Magic with his left arm. Seilah merely strolled behind him, not even concerned at being struck in the shadow of her Master.
Once the right side possessed decent cover, Natsu quickly did the same to the left, raising up countless sections of earth for the bloodied Rune Knight Legion to take cover behind.
Once they were safe, Natsu set his sight on the castle ahead, noticing several Dark Mages firing Dark Magic from the floor just above the drawbridge. Eyes narrowed, he marched forward, swatting aside every last attack the Dark Mages fired at him with speed far beyond their perception.
"My apologies for arriving unannounced, but I'll see myself in," Natsu's voice boomed across the battlefield, as he reached out and made a yanking motion with his right hand.
The Dark Guild Mages were horrified as the entire front section of the castle, including part of the entrance courtyard, was torn out, scrunched up into a ball, and tossed aside like a piece of trash.
Many of the Dark Mages who had narrowly avoided being crushed to death fled immediately, never having witnessed such a casual display of power before. The ones that foolishly chose to stay and fight could only watch helplessly as Natsu bridged the gap left by the missing section of the structure with one of the guard towers, casually tearing the forty-tonne structure off the ground and throwing it into the large hole.
As he crossed the makeshift bridge, Natsu had a confident grin on his face, ecstatic that he could once again make full use of his Gravity and Crash Magics.
"Dying to grow this powerful really does seem worth it now," Natsu snickered, casually shattering a high-powered sphere of Dark Magic, before lazily lobbing a Nova into a nearby building. "Ahh… Its good to be back in action Seilah."
The Demoness couldn't help but agree, watching as the Nova blew away a third of the castle in a matter of seconds, killing hundreds of Dark Mages in the process.
If nothing else, this battle would make it clear that Natsu was back…
And this time, he wasn't playing around.