The Dragon Father

E.N.D's Awakening

E.N.D destroyed everything in his path. The forest was ash, the battlefield was on fire and still he continued on full of hatred, he roared one name, Zeref. In all honesty, Natsu had merely tapped into E.N.D's power. The demon within him slowly drifted into his consciousness becoming a second voice in his head. E.N.D followed his instincts, his anger and hatred blotting out any personality or mindset the demon had. Natsu had released control of his mind in anger and E.N.D was still too weak to take control completely and so it was E.N.D's power and instincts, but it was also Natsu's subconscious.

"Natsu!" Acnologia roared from afar hoping his voice could jolt Natsu out of his rage. His roar was lost in a hiss of steam.

The fire had been stopped by a sudden burst of ice. Gray stood there looking at the demon covered in flames.

"It stops here E.N.D, you stop here... Natsu," Gray gritted.

"Gray," the demon hissed over the crackling fire, his figure was still hidden in the flames.

"Prepare to die," Gray gritted.

"Out of my way," the demon snarled.

"No."

"Move Gray! I want Zeref!" the demon roared. Natsu was still in there, a part of him still held on to humanity, the rest of his however prepared to murder the mage in front of him.

"This is where you die!" Gray yelled putting his hands together, his black tattoos standing out. E.N.D snarled and prepared to attack. Before Gray could attack Gajeel shoved him away and to the ground. E.N.D paused and the magic energy around him fizzled out.

"Go Natsu," Gajeel said weakly slamming Gray's head into the ground.

"Gajeel," E.N.D growled.

"Go to uncle, go to him Natsu!" Gajeel cried.

"Zeref," E.N.D hissed remembering his goal. He took off towards the guild leaving ash in his wake.

"Why would you?!" Gray yelled shoving Gajeel off of him and getting to his feet. Gajeel stood in front of him stopping him from pursuing Natsu, "Don't you see what he is!"

"He's my brother!" Gajeel spat holding his injured side, "I won't let you hurt him!"

"I can't let E.N.D escape," Gray gritted preparing to attack.

"Then you have to go through me," Gajeel stated, getting into a defensive position.

"Don't make me do this," Gray gritted.

"I won't let you hurt him," Gajeel growled.

"We won't," Erik growled from behind Gray. The poison dragon slayer was limping but his eye still betrayed his rage and with as much dignity as he could he limped past Gray and planted himself next to Gajeel.

Sting and Rogue (who had been only a few steps behind Erik) ran up, they took in the situation and ran to Gajeel's and Erik's side.

"All of us," Rogue nodded.

Gray paused. The four wounded dragon slayers stared at him, their eyes were cold and hard; there was no doubt in Gray's mind - if they had to, they would kill him.

Wendy and Laxus went to where the explosion had occurred. 

"Hello?" Laxus called looking into the half-melted mountain. He felt like a rock had sunk in his stomach as he looked around. To think that his younger brother was capable of this was insanity. There had been no doubt in his mind when he had heard the first roar, it had been Natsu. When the demon had decimated the battlefield, Laxus had no doubt that E.N.D was Natsu. However, knowing the truth and excepting the truth were two different things.