They had done it.
They took down all of the Nine Demon Gates, Etherious Demons created by Zeref. Now the only problem was the Book of E.N.D that Mard Geer was carrying with him holding it very close to him not wanting it out of his sight for a moment. Gray and Natsu had argues about what to do with the book because Gray's father asked him to destroy the book, while Natsu's father asked him to protect it, so the two of them were busy having a conversation about this.
Natsu and Gray stared each other down with Sting and Rogue watching helplessly from the sidelines unable to move due to exhaustion. All of a sudden though the book was teleported away from Gray's hand.
"It's gone!" Gray gasped looking at his hand.
"Gray!" Natsu yelled.
"It wasn't me!" Gray yelled back.
The book was now in the hands of Zeref who was now walking over to them, "This is my book."
Everyone looked in his direction not having sensed him at all until he spoke, "I'm taking it back."
Natsu turned in his direction slowly.
Zeref stood there smiling, "It's an important book."
"Zeref!" Natsu growled.
The male simply smiled at him calmly, while everyone else was giving him a nervous look.
"That's…" Sting stared.
Rogue couldn't believe his eyes.
Zeref walked over to them having spotted Mard Geer down and defeated, "Mard Geer…you did well. You were one step away from reviving E.N.D." he stopped walking turning in his direction, "But…I'm afraid to say that even of you had succeeded in reviving E.N.D, he wouldn't have awoken for you."
"What?!" Mard Geer exclaimed.
"What'd he say?" Rogue said.
"E.N.D wouldn't have woken up?" Gray questioned.
Natsu just stood there watching the exchange having remembered his uncle Atlas Flames words about how E.N.D cared for only one person and would gladly wake up for that one person.
Zeref walked over by Mard Geer still smiling, "E.N.D never cared about Tartaros, that's why he abandoned all of you. He cared about only one person and wanted to be near that one person only. You all meant nothing to him."
Mard Geer couldn't believe what he was hearing, their master had never cared about them? Then who…his eyes widened in realization and Zeref looked pleased that he finally got it.
"That's right, looks like you've finally made the connection. I'm afraid that person means the world to him and I feel the same as E.N.D." Zeref smiled.
The others around them didn't get it at all.
"What the hell are they talking about?" Gray wondered.
Natsu clenched his fists, now understanding who they were talking about. But he'll be damn if he tells Gray, knowing what he'd do.
"By the way, Mard Geer. You seem to have tried to do something to her didn't you?" Zeref's smile didn't seem so calm anymore. It was a smile that promised pain.
Mard Geer stiffened at his gaze and smile but didn't answer, "I see, so you won't tell me. But, you don't have to because I already know."
Mard Geer was afraid, and that was a human emotion so it shouldn't apply to him but he was afraid.
"You…" Zeref's eyes became red, "You tried to use her as a sort of sacrifice didn't you?"
Mard Geer said nothing letting the fear wash over him.
"You have made a grave mistake Mard Geer, I will not allow any harm to come to her in anyway. Precht had to learn that the hard way," Zeref told him coldly, "Now you can sleep."
Mard Geer's eyes were shaking and he stretched his hand out towards him, "Mard Geer…can bring about…whatever you desire…"
Zeref brought his hand up, "No. You can't." with a snap of his fingers Mard Geer was reduced to a simply book much to everyone's surprise. The book hovered in the air before he set it on fire destroying it forever leaving nothing but ashes.
Gray glared at him, "You! You created that demon yourself!"
"True. But I had no more need of it," Zeref looked down sadly before it washed away quickly, "However, Mard Geer needed to be punished. I'm sure she won't mind it either."
"The hell is that supposed to mean?!" Sting yelled.
Zeref ignored him and looked up at the sky with a real smile on his face watching both his Lucy-nee and old friend Igneel fight Acnologia together, "I came here to settle things once and for all between us."
"Huh?" Natsu glared.
"But I changed my mind, that and Acnologia got in the way," he chuckled, "Will he run away into hiding again? Or will he face off against what he fears most and meet his end? I don't know."
"What are you talking about?" Natsu demanded.
"You should already know," Zeref looked at them, "Acnologia is afraid of her."
Natsu and Gray widened their eyes but Sting and Rogue didn't understand, "What is he talking about?" Sting wondered.
"Luce…" Natsu mumbled.
"Lucy-san?" Rogue questioned.
"When we were on Tenrou, and that monster showed up. She fought it one on one like it was no big deal and even hacked its arm off. She would have killed it…but it ran away." Gray clenched his fist remembering that day. They all felt so helpless, and could only watch a Lucy fought that damn monster head on and almost killed it had it not ran away.
Sting and Rogue gasped, "Then…it was true…" Rogue trembled.
"Lucy-san almost killed Acnologia!" Sting's eyes widened.
Zeref smiled, "Yes…you two were there, you saw it with your own eyes. She truly is amazing."
"What the hell would you know about Lucy?!" Natsu growled.
"I know her a lot better than all of you," Zeref stated, "I know that in the future she will be by my side."
"Like hell she will!" Gray yelled.
Zeref looked up at the sky, "I actually came here to see her, its been awhile since I've seen, Lucy-nee."
Natsu and Gray were starting to get pissed off, "What the hell did you just call her?" Natsu growled.
"Hm? Oh you mean the nickname I give her?" Zeref smiled.
"Bastard…you don't get to call her that!" Gray yelled.
Sting got up slowly glaring at the black wizard, "Gray-san's right…you have no right to call her anything!"
Rogue got up slowly glaring as well, "We will never let you see her!"
Zeref still kept his smile, "Be at ease, I have no intention of fighting you. But, my words ring clear and true. She will be by my side…" his bangs covered his eyes, "If you intend to interfere with that…then…" he lifted his head up showing his glowing red eyes, "…I will give you even more despair, one of which the likes you've never seen before."
Natsu, Gray, Sting, and Rogue gave him murderous glares telling him to bring it! There was no way in hell they'd let anything happen to her!
He turned his back to them, "I will take my leave for now, but do tell her I stopped by. After all…its been such a long time." And with that he walked away disappearing before them.
Gray grit his teeth, "That bastard! Just what the hell does he want with Aniki?!"
"We gotta inform Master Makarov about this!" Sting said, "There's no telling what that creep might do."
"I agree, I just hope we can keep them away from each other." Rogue hoped for.
Natsu was seething with anger, because there were two bastards that were trying to take Luce away from him! Zeref…and E.N.D! His uncle already confirmed it at the village that was incased in ice, E.N.D's special person…it had to be Luce, and now Zeref wants her?! There's no way in hell he'd let that happen!
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This is a preview to the Tartaros Arc! Look forward to it! ^_^