Chapter Text
The world was burning.
Lucy Heartfilia smelled the smoke before she saw the flames. Cities that had stood for centuries crumbled beneath black fire. Mountains split apart. The sky itself looked wrong, stained crimson as though the heavens had begun to bleed.
Fairy Tail…
No.
Everything.
The final battle had been lost.
“…Natsu…”
Her voice came out as nothing more than a whisper.
Across the ruined battlefield, Natsu Dragneel struggled to his feet. His scarf was torn, blood streaming from countless wounds. He still glared at the man standing before him.
Zeref.
The Black Wizard looked almost hollow.
Not disappointed.
Not angry.
Just unbearably tired.
“So this is where your resolve ends,” he murmured.
Natsu coughed, forcing himself upright.
“I’m… not done…”
“You are.”
With a flick of his wrist, Natsu was hurled across the battlefield, crashing through what remained of a stone tower.
Lucy stumbled toward him—
But then—
Something changed.
A shift in the air.
A pulse of magic.
A miracle.
The flames around them flickered. The sky brightened. The oppressive weight of Zeref’s magic thinned just enough for Fairy Tail to move again.
Gray forced himself upright. Erza planted her feet. Wendy poured the last of her magic into Carla. Happy hovered shakily, tears streaming down his face.
And Natsu— Natsu stood.
He grinned.
“Told ya…”
Lucy laughed through tears.
“You idiot… you actually did it…”
For one impossible moment, it looked like victory.
Zeref knelt in the center of the battlefield, head lowered. Fairy Tail breathed again.
Lucy took a step forward.
“Natsu…”
He looked up, his grin softening. They reached toward each other.
Just a few more steps.
“We’re going home,” she whispered, smiling through exhaustion and relief.
Home. The guild. Morning arguments. Rent she couldn’t afford. Everything she suddenly wanted more than anything.
She stretched out her hand—
Zeref’s voice broke the air.
Not calm.
Not disappointed.
Shattered.
“I cannot kill him…”
Lucy froze.
Zeref rose slowly, trembling with something far more dangerous than rage.
“…I cannot die.”
His eyes were wide — not with fury, but with despair so deep it hollowed the world around him.
“You were supposed to end me.”
His voice cracked.
“You were supposed to free me.”
Natsu stiffened, the victory fading from his face.
Zeref’s expression twisted — grief collapsing into fury.
“So if you will not grant me death…”
Dark magic surged around him, violent and unstable.
“…then I shall leave you with something worse.”
A cold hand touched the center of Lucy’s back.
And the crystal began.
“…What?”
A sharp sting spread through her spine.
She looked down.
Transparent crystal crept across her fingertips like frost.
“…Natsu?”
Confusion replaced her smile.
The crystal raced over her arms. Her legs. Her waist.
It wasn’t growing around her.
It was growing over her.
A thin, flawless shell, so clear it resembled polished glass, clung tightly to every inch of her body.
She tried to move.
Nothing.
“NATSU!”
His head snapped up.
“LUCY!”
He launched himself forward.
The crystal sealed over Lucy’s shoulders.
Her hand remained outstretched toward him.
Still smiling.
Still reaching.
Frozen in the last moment she believed they had won.
Their fingertips were inches apart.
The crystal climbed her neck.
Gray lunged beside Natsu, ice crashing against the transparent shell. It shattered harmlessly.
Erza struck next. Every sword broke.
Wendy tried enchantments, healing magic, dispelling spells— Nothing.
The crystal ignored them all.
It wasn’t restraining Lucy.
It was claiming her.
“No!”
Natsu slammed both fists into the crystal. The impact echoed across the battlefield.
Not a single crack appeared.
Again. Again. Again.
His knuckles split open. Blood streaked the flawless surface.
Still—
Nothing.
The crystal reached Lucy’s face.
She could still breathe. Still see. Still hear.
But when she opened her mouth—
No sound escaped.
She screamed.
Nothing.
Her heartbeat thundered in her ears.
Magic. She needed her Keys.
Aquarius. Leo. Anyone—
The Golden Keys at her waist glowed.
For just a heartbeat.
Twelve brilliant lights rose from them. Not enough to form bodies. Only silhouettes.
Leo. Aquarius. Virgo. Cancer. Taurus. Aries. Sagittarius. Capricorn. Scorpio. Gemini. Libra. Pisces.
Lucy stared through tears.
“…Everyone…”
They looked at her.
Not fearful.
Heartbroken.
Leo stepped forward, placing one glowing hand against the crystal.
“My Princess… forgive us.”
Aquarius smiled sadly. “I really hate crying…”
Virgo bowed her head. “We will not abandon you.”
One by one, each Zodiac Spirit touched their own Golden Key.
Golden light poured from their bodies.
Not into the crystal.
Into Lucy.
Warm. Gentle. Comforting.
Their magic settled deep within her soul.
A final gift.
A promise.
If the day ever came that Lucy awakened…
She would not awaken alone.
The last traces of the Zodiac Spirits dissolved into countless stars.
The Keys dimmed.
Forever.
Outside the crystal, Natsu struck it again.
His roar shook the heavens.
“LUCYYYYY!!”
Lucy slammed both hands against the inside.
She couldn’t feel the impact. She couldn’t hear it.
Only see him.
His tears. His desperation. His refusal to stop.
Zeref watched in silence.
“You wished to protect her.”
His voice carried no triumph.
Only unbearable finality.
“So she shall live.”
He looked at Lucy through the crystal.
“You will witness every sunrise.” “You will witness every death.” “You will watch this world fade.” “You will remain.” “Forever.”
Lucy shook her head violently.
No. Please. Not this.
Natsu dragged himself forward one final time.
His trembling hand rested against the crystal.
Lucy mirrored him from the other side.
Separated by less than an inch.
Separated by forever.
His lips moved.
She couldn’t hear him.
But she knew.
“I’m sorry.”
The tears she'd been holding back finally fell.
She shook her head.
No.
It wasn't his fault.
It was never his fault.
She wished she could tell him that.
Instead...
All she could do was watch.
And the world continued turning.
Natsu pressed his forehead against the crystal, breath shaking.
“I’m not giving up.”
His voice trembled, but his eyes didn’t.
“I don’t care what he did. I don’t care how long it takes.”
He rested his broken hand against the crystal, lining it up with hers.
“I’ll get stronger.”
His voice steadied.
“I’ll search every continent. Every ruin. Every dragon. Every god.”
His tears hit the crystal and slid down the flawless surface.
“I’ll break this thing, Lucy.”
His lips pulled into a trembling grin — the same one he always used when he refused to lose.
“I swear it.”
“I’ll save you.”
“I promise.”
She smiled .
A tiny, trembling smile.
Because she believed him.
Because Natsu always kept his promises.
She would wait.
One day…
He would break this crystal.
One day…
They would go home.
Neither of them knew…
That this would be the last moment they would ever share beneath the same sky.