This story takes place after the Tartaros Arc. Zeref does not take the Book of END and the guild does not disband.

I do not own Fairy Tail

The guild was gone. The Fairies were gone. All that remained was rubble in the deserted streets of Magnolia. Ashes were falling from the sky, drifting along the light wind before landing on pieces of charred wood and crumbling stone. A red and yellow flag with the signature Fairy Tail emblem lay on top of the remains of a once glorious guild hall, waving in the wind, torn and burnt just like everything else.

A lone figure stood on a hill overlooking the ruins of the city that had before been a bustling center of innovation and excitement. Ashes coated his spiky hair, turning the vibrant pink into a dull grey. He looked at the ruins, the outcome of his failures, with a look of defeat. Tears poured an endless stream down his face and after a few moments he turned away, walking silently toward the dark forest surrounding the city and disappearing into the foliage.

1 Year Prior

Natsu Dragneel sighed as he opened the door to his and his best friend's small cottage. It was a tiny home, only one large room and a small bathroom connected to it. Upon entering the front door, a hammock could be seen on the left wall, across from a couch on the right. Shoved in a corner in the back of the house was the kitchen, barely large enough for one person to stand in and adjacent to the house's only bathroom. Every wall, however, had its own unique decoration. Above the hammock, which served as Natsu's bed, were hundreds of photos that the dragon slayer had cut out, each featuring photos or articles about his fellow guild members. The rest of the wall space around the home showcased hundreds of artifacts gathered from past missions. Above the couch and mounted on the wall were a jewel-encrusted scepter and crown. Next to it lay the green head of a dragon costume. Shining in the kitchen chandelier was a glowing blue lacrima shard. On another wall was a maid costume in a glass case. The artifacts cluttered the house and yet gave it a homey appeal, each one reminding its occupants of a fond (or sometimes not-too-fond) memory.

Natsu dragged his feet through the house before kneeling at the foot of the couch. In his hands lay a parcel secured in his treasured white scarf. He unwrapped it, revealing an old nondescript book. Curious, he paused as his fingers traced the three large black letters etched into the cover of the hefty book. He wanted desperately to open it, to read its contents and figure out what kind of magic was instilled in the book, but instead took a pillow off of the couch in front of him and yanked off the pillow case, tossing the plain pillow back on the couch and placing the book inside the pillow case. He gently pushed the sheathed book under the couch and stood up before promptly falling face-first onto the sofa. Turning on his back to get more comfortable, Natsu mused over the events of the past few weeks.

Fairy Tail had been locked in battle with a small group of demons calling themselves the Tartaros Guild, trying to wipe magic off of the face of the Earth and defeat their creator Zeref with their 'superior' demon powers. It was pretty much the usual task for Fairy Tail but no one could have suspected the emotional turmoil that would ensue during the battle. Natsu's eyes began to tear up as he recalled the valiant battle between Acnologia and his father, Igneel. The dragon slayer rubbed his eyes, angry at the injustice of it all. He had spent YEARS searching for Igneel and when he finally appeared again, he died not long after. Natsu also cried for his family. The other dragon slayers who were just as confused as he, Gray who had found and lost his father and inherited an unknown and strange magic, and Lucy who was forced to part ways with her oldest and most trustworthy celestial spirit.

Natsu covered his eyes with his forearm as his silent tears turned into heart-wrenching sobs. Igneel.. This whole time.. How could i not know?! His hands found the pillow he had uncovered earlier and hugged it to his chest as if his life depended on it.

What do I even do now? I spent my whole life looking for you and now you're gone, my friends are all hurt and I don't even know what to do with this damn book!

Natsu glared at the book though the couch, desperately wanting to set it on fire and forget it existed. Usually he wouldn't even think about it and just destroy the book for all the trouble it had caused, but Igneel had adamantly warned him from disturbing it in any way, and despite the hurt he felt due to his father's lack of communication over the years, he still trusted him. Natsu had barely managed to snatch the book before Zeref could get his hands back on it and desperately wanted to understand its secrets. Apparently he would have to wait though. He's never been very good at waiting...

Sending one last venomous look through the couch, Natsu stood up and rubbed his eyes free of tears. He knew that his friends back at the guild would need him for emotional support and he had promised Happy that he wouldn't be long. The book under his couch was also giving off an eerie aura and he wanted to get away from it as soon as possible.

I'm gonna have to find a better hiding place for that thing…

With one last glance around the house, Natsu walked back out the front door and into the frigid winter air last night. Despite never feeling cold due to his heat magic, he shivered. He couldn't help but feel as though the battle with demons had just begun.

Pushing his negative thoughts away he walked with determination towards the guild hall, focused on what was most important at that moment: his family. Don't worry Lucy, Gray, Wendy, Gajeel, we will get through this together. I'll always be there for all of you. He plastered his signature wide smile on his face and shoved his own sorrow into the corner of his mind, knowing his guild would need the happy Natsu they all love. With that thought he continued on his path to his friends, the book of END momentarily forgotten.

…

Back at Natsu's house the Book of END lay ominously on the floor, leaking small amounts of magic energy. A small tear in the cover stuck out against the seemingly unharmed pages, microscopic amounts of black fog seeping into its pillow case container.

The battle with demons HAD in fact just begun.