"NATSU!" Happy's cries as he flew down to his best friend to try and stop him, but Natsu didn't listen. His objective to end this war was in front of him, whether he believed Zeref's words or not, this would be the end. Zeref simply smiled as the increasing heat of Igneel's Will, Natsu's Fire King's Mode rendered his flesh with blisters, the pain was unbearable and he could feel his lungs compressing trying to intake air but the flames lit the air on fire in his lungs, flames spurted from his mouth as Natsu's skidded forward, arm reared back determination to die in his eyes. Despite the pain and knowing his death was right before him, he smiled the tears pricking his eyes dissolved into flames. With what energy he could he activated one last spell in his arsenal. A final gift for his little brother.

With his death, this war would be over. Every single member of the Alvarez Empire would retreat after his final breath or they would perish. Something he had integrated into the Alvarez Symbol marked on the flesh of every soul in Alvarez Empire, a final curse encase any of them thought to go against his last wishes. Natsu would die here along with him, but he'd let Natsu leave this world knowing that his friends and family were no longer in danger.

"Fire Dragon King's Purgatory!" Natsu's entire body was covered in a massive amount of fire as his fist connected with Zeref's jaw, the red flames of Igneel burnt Zeref's flesh, revealing his jaw bone before completely engulfing him burning their target and everything around them before creating a spherical explosion engulfing both Dragneel Brothers.

"Thank you, Natsu."

Happy was blown back from the force of the explosion, unable to break through to try and pull Natsu back from the attack. Tears streamed down the exceed's face as he hit the ground. All he could do was wait and hope that Natsu was alive that Zeref was lying about what he had said.

Invel who stood before Zeref's army stoon in horror, feeling the magic power rival that of the Emperor's was just insane. How did Ishgar have such a powerful Wizard that they had never heard of? Was this really the end of the Spriggan Emperor? What did that mean for the attacking force of Alvarez? Wincing slightly he felt a burning under his clothes, located where the Alvarez symbol was on his chest. Raising a hand to it he grunted and realised what was happening. Turning back he saw the other soldiers reacting similar to their own Alvarez marks.

"He's really gone." Invel didn't know whether to feel ashamed that he hadn't been able to do anything or glad that his Emperor had finally gotten what he had been waiting centuries for. Standing back up straight, with one last glance at the flickering flames were only one silhouette remained, he turned to the troops. "Full retreat!" Shocked looks came from all that heard him. "NOW!" He ordered knowing the curse would take effect should they not retreat immediately. He only hoped that the other Spriggan would follow suit and retreat.

Happy didn't care for the retreating soldiers, his eyes only focused on the standing Natsu as the flames flickered around him. It was too hot to even approach but that didn't stop the exceed, he did his best to push through the heat as Natsu collapsed to his knees, there was no sign of Zeref anywhere. Finally able to reach him, his fur burnt slightly but regardless he reached out for Natsu, his paw touching his arm and tears flooded the exceed's face.

The moment Happy touched Natsu's skin, it began to turn to ash, his body breaking down.

"Natsu, no don't go!" Happy cried, trying to hold onto him, but the more he tried the more he broke away, the body no longer sustained with Zeref's magic, if Happy looked he would also see the book of E.N.D breaking away into ash. Covered in the ash of his best friend, the remains of Natsu finally came to an end, drifting off with the wind, the only thing remaining was the white scarf that Natsu was famous for.

"AHHHHHHHHH!" Happy's cry filled the air as he bawled his eyes out, tears running down his face as he stood in the ashes of his best friend. Natsu was gone.

The cry of pain shot Lucy out of her seat and down the hall to the makeshift cell they had created in the Guild to hold Brandish. Cana was a few feet behind her as they crashed into the room, behind the iron bars Brandish was trembling in pain, the Alvarez symbol on her leg usually a vibrant blue was pulsing back and forth between it's usual colour and a sickly black. Pain and fear was etched onto the woman's face as she squirmed on the ground her arms behind her back locked with the magic seal stone cuffs.

"What's happening?" Cana asked, unsure of this situation. "Is she faking it?"

"Gah!" Brandish's body contorted in pain and both Lucy and Cana could see that it was real, whatever was happening to the Spriggan member was causing her immense pain. It wasn't until Mavis hurried in, feeling the strange magic did they come to understand.

"It's a curse." Mavis said, slipping between the bars with ease and examining the symbol. "A death curse, linked to Zeref's magic."

"Why would he do that? Is it because she was captured?" Lucy asked horrified.

"If it was, wouldn't it have activated sooner?" Cana asked, she had been captured the previous evening why would it suddenly activate now.

"That's not it at all." Mavis said shaking her head. "Both of you, come inside." Lucy quickly pulled the key from her belt and unlocked the door, Cana following inside. "Listen to me closely, we need to undo the curse and remove the mark from her." Cana and Lucy nodded as Brandish's screams echoed throughout the guildhall. It took all of Cana's and Lucy's magic power along with Mavis's guidance to fully remove the curse and the symbol, any traces of the mark and curse were now gone from the Spriggan member.

Brandish herself had passed out due to the pain and was unconscious as she lay on the cold floor.

'What the hell was that?" Cana breathed out slouching back resting against the bars of the cell. Never had she exerted her magic power in doing something so miniscule before.

"It would seem the Alvarez troops are retreating." Mavis said softly. "Zeref didn't just activate the curse here in Brandish, he activated it everywhere across Fiore to all the people of Alvarez."

"Why would he do that?" Lucy asked, looking to the guild's first Master who smiled.

"Because Natsu succeeded in defeating him, the war is over." Mavis was sad that Zeref was now gone, her long hidden emotions still lying dormant inside but that didn't hide the fact that she was happy that Fairy Tail was no longer in any danger.

"He did it!" Both Cana and Lucy hugged one another over the victory, to think Natsu the idiotic Dragon Slayer had taken down the world's most notorious Black Wizard.

"I'll have Warren signal the retreat, there is no longer a need to fight if they are retreating." Mavis told them. "Leave Brandish here for now, she'll still be a danger even without her mark to Alvarez, I'll have Makarov decide what should be done with her. I have no doubt he'll ship her home." Lucy nodded.

"Hopefully I can get some answers before she leaves." Lucy thought as she and Cana left the cell, being sure to lock it after them.

All across Fiore, Alvarez's troops were pulling out of the country. However not all were as lucky as most. Zeref's curse rendered thousands dead, those there weren't quick enough to leave and those who refused the order to retreat.

Warren's order of retreat to the combined forces of Fiore had everyone heading for the Fairy Tail guild, to congratulate the hero who had stopped the war before it had fully developed into utter anarchy.

From Blue Pegasus to Mermaid Hell, hundreds of Wizards arrived in Magnolia, the party already starting at the Fairy Tail guild hall. There was those that were wounded but were being treated already and it looked as though everyone would make it through and recover. Gratitude was expressed all around from Makarov as he announced Fiore's victory gaining cheers and applause from the Wizard populace. Now they simply had to wait for the Hero of the day to come.

Even late into the night, where most of the Wizards had passed out, Natsu didn't arrive. Some sought to seek out the Dragon Slayer, wanting to head to his last location but couldn't as a single Exceed arrived, holding a white scaled scarf that belonged to one Natsu Dragneel.

The truth of Natsu's lineage and fate was revealed and never had it been so that Fiore had come together for the fate of one like that day.

However… death had never stopped Natsu before.