Chapter 6

-A sorrowful glance into the past-

"Shutai had been sealed in the mountains?"

The next morning after Carin had read through the description how to break the seal she had hurried over to the Guild to tell them what she found out.

"Yeah, I also found a way to break the seal here." Carin said and opened the book. "Although it seems to be a very complicated one and shouldn't be used alone since it consumes a lot of Magic Power."

"Then we'll come with you." Lucy said with a big smile. "We're friends so it's naturally that we'll help you."

Carin smiled as she heard it and blushed out of happiness that she had such good friends.

"Are you sure?" Carin asked.

"Aye!" Happy replied and Carin grinned. During the night she had took a map of the mountains around Magnolia and used a Lacrima to search for an entrance besides the cave to the grave of her mother.

"You're only being 6 people, right? You should take more with you, after all there's the danger that someone who shouldn't appear might do so." Grandeeney said.

"Who do you mean?" Natsu asked while Carin only made a grimace. She did knew whom she meant and hoped that he won't appear.

"I don't think he will." Carin said as she clutched the book to her chest. "But I think taking more people with us, maybe the Seal breaking spell will work better then."

"We'll come then with you." Suddenly Freed and Bickslow appeared behind her and Laxus stood there, too. "After all we owe you something for protecting us during the incident with Tartarus."

Carin smiled hearing it and noticed that she truly was happy being a member of Fairy Tail and as she wanted to say something suddenly a loud explosion was heard outside and Jet and Droy came running into the Guild as the roar of a Dragon echoed throughout the whole town.

"The Dragons...!" Jet shouted and Carin noticed how her body stiffened. She looked over to Igneel, Grandeeney and Metalicana who all nodded and then back to her team.

"Let's hurry. We have to find Shutai!" She said as they left the Guild. Carin looked up and saw some Dragons on the sky, roaring loudly, destroying the buildings.

"Evacuate the people first!" Makarov shouted as Carin's Dragon siblings ran ahead and jumped into the air, changing their appearances into those of a Dragon and attacked the others.

However as Carin watched the Dragons ravage the town and the people screaming in shock and panic she noticed how cold sweat ran down her back and she fell pale as her body trembled. This was familiar to her but she still couldn't remember why. Trying to ignore the weird fear she ran ahead but a Dragon landed in front of them and Carin stopped.

"You're in the way!" Natsu shouted. He gathered and combined lighting and fire in his mouth and released it in a large, destructive blast towards the Dragon.

"Modo Raienryu: Raienryu no Hoko!"

The Dragon however dodged the attack easily and Carin raised her arm.

"Nova Kaiser!"

She gathered more Magic Power in her hand and released a punch at the Dragon, the bright light blinded the whole town for a moment but the Dragon couldn't avoid the attack and got hit right in his chest. Since Carin had gathered more power this time the attack had more destructive power and made a hole in the Dragon's chest. Dragons however had a greater durability than Humans and so he tried to attack them again but Metalicana threw himself at the Dragon, making space for them to go on.

"Let's move on."

"How impressive..." Lucy muttered as they ran on and followed Carin who tired to overcome the fear. They avoided the rubble and the attacks. Carin doesn't really watched out and got nearly crushed by a Dragon who had been thrown aside by a Dragon Roar of Igneel but Laxus sped up via his lightning Magic and caught her in his arms while dodging the Dragon.

"Running past them might be more difficult than we thought." Freed said and used his Dark Écriture to make the rubble disappear.

Watching the Dragons destroying the town suddenly Acnologia appeared in Carin's mind. He was destroying a town with his limbs and wings, ripping apart the townsfolk and letting out his Dragon Roar. She staggered as her body once again started to tremble and her face went pale once again.

"Are you all right?" Gray asked as he saw her pale face and Carin nodded.

"Yeah, it's nothing." She replied but somehow she felt fear overcoming her but tried to go on, for the sake of the others. She didn't wanted anyone to face Acnologia like she did and so she had to find her grandfather. Soon they left the town and ran towards the mountains. Carin was following the route she found yesterday and soon they reached the cave but suddenly Raiden appeared out of nowhere.

"Excuse me, I know you're in a hurry but I have to talk to you, Carin-sama. Alone." He said and Carin looked surprised at him. Getting a weird feeling because of it she furrowed her eyes.

"But quick." She said and followed Raiden away from the others. She wondered what he wanted to talk with her about – after all right now wasn't the best time to have a conversation.

After they walked for quite some time Raiden finally stopped and turned around to Carin.

"Well, I only wanted do something."

"What?" She asked and suddenly he put one hand on her head.

"Restore your memories."

Carin then felt how she lost consciousness and fell to the ground.

It was a sunny day as a seven years old Carin left the little cottage house outside of the town where she was living with her parents and her three adoptive siblings. As she went out of the house and rubbed her eyes her mother looked around to her with a soft smile.

"Good morning, my little princess." She said and went over to her. "I told you that you shouldn't go out in your nightgown."

Arisa walked up to Carin and patted her head as she grabbed her daughter's hand to lead her back to the house. She helped Carin to put on a nice dress and combed her hair up to a pony tail.

"Where are Igneel, Grandeeney and Metalicana?" She asked her mother and Arisa gave her breakfast. "And papa, too."

"Raiden-san took them to a friend who wanted to meet the Dragon cubs." She replied. "And your father went to meet someone although it's unusual for him to meet up with someone."

"It is." Carin muttered and she quickly ate her breakfast.

"You shouldn't gobble everything down. Eat slowly, the library will be opened the whole day."

"But I need that super important book! I have to study otherwise I won't be as strong as you or father are!" Carin replied and continued gobbling down the food. Arisa only sighed seeing her eating like that and went out to hang the laundry. Soon Carin also went out and told her mother that she'll come back before lunch.

"She surely is a positive child." Raiden said as he walked up to Arisa from behind the trees.

"Of course, she's mine and Zeref's happiness." Arisa replied. "Altogether with our three little Dragon cubs and the one I'm awaiting."

She put one hand on her stomach and stroked over it, a slightly bulge was peeking out from under her dress.

"Oh, so you're awaiting another child, Arisa-sama?" Raiden asked surprised and the woman nodded.

"Yes. Because of this my Dragon abilities are limited so I won't really be able to fight." She said and sighed.

"You don't need to fight, I'm here in that case."

"I know, I know. But I'm still concerned that Zeref is meeting someone. He's not the person to do that... could you go and take a look?"

"Of course." Raiden said and with a nod disappeared between the trees. Arisa however sighed as she looked over to the town. She hoped that nothing would happen since they were still in the middle of the Dragon Civil War.

"Here you are." The librarian said and handed Carin a book about the Ancient Magic she had searched specially for the young girl. "But don't try any of the high class spells on other people out."

"I won't." She said but crossed her fingers in her mind as she then walked out happily, looking at the book in excitement. She wanted to be a strong Mage like her parents so she was studying Magic everyday for hours.

As soon as she stepped outside she heard a load noise above her.

"What was that?" Carin wondered and raised her head to see what was going on here. The sky had suddenly turned dark although it was noon. Surprised she noticed a big creature throwing a shadow on the village. It's whole body was black and had spiraling blue markings. It had sharp teeth and his wings were feathery and the tail had a stingeresque shape.

"It's a Dragon!" The townspeople around her shouted and some of them fell into a panic. After all they were in the middle of the Dragon Civil War but until now no Dragon appeared here.

"The most dangerous one ever..." An old man next to Carin muttered. "The Black Dragon of the Book of Apocalypse, Acnologia."

Carin winced hearing this and looked with shock at the Dragon. She had often heard her parents talk about it and both showed great fear although they were strong Mages by themselves.

The Dragon let itself fall down on the ground and let out a roar which echoed through the whole town. It made quite an impact, the strong blast of wind threw some people off balance or let them hit on the walls. Carin also stumbled back and hit with her back on the wall. She sunk to the ground and clutched the book in her arms. Acnologia slowly turned around and it's eyes met Carin's. Fear overcame the girl and she noticed how her body started to tremble as tears prickled in her eyes. She watched in shock how the Dragon started to ravage the town and Carin shivered. She had heard how merciless Dragons could be and although Igneel, Grandeeney and Metalicana were living with them – who were Dragons by hundred percent – she never saw one of such a caliber. The Dragons which were living with them were still little children so they were small but this one was taller than any building.

Acnologia destroyed other houses, the people in town were ripped apart and somehow also a fire was lit and burned the buildings with people inside who screamed in pain.

"Young one, run!" The old man who had stood next to her said. His lower body was buried underneath the rubble and it looked like he would die any moment. Carin nodded and wanted to stand up but her legs couldn't move, her whole body seemed to be paralyzed with fear.

Acnologia let out a roar and white-blueish light appeared in it's mouth, charging an attack. The beam coming out of his mouth destroyed more buildings and made a crater in the ground.

Carin gritted her teeth as the Dragon went closer to her with a furious and mocking look in his eyes and Carin tried to back away but the wall behind her made it impossible to run away.

"N-no..." Carin muttered in Dragon Language in hope Acnologia would understand her better through this. "S-stop!"

She could hear how the Dragon let out a roaring laughter and she noticed how the scent of blood, burning flesh and wood and also the screams of people dying was making her sick. Acnologia seemingly readied another attack and Carin closed her eyes as she whimpered and put her arms around her body, preparing to die. She thought of her parents and adoptive siblings who would be devastated by her death when she heard the beam but couldn't feel any pain nor had the feeling of being hit by the attack. Surprised she opened her eyes and found her mother standing in front of her, slightly gasping, with her left arm reached out to Acnologia. Her arm was burned, it smoked and was dark in color.

"Mother!" Carin shouted shocked while Arisa looked around with a gentle smile.

"Don't worry, I'll protect you." She said and then turned her attention back to Acnologia. "Acnologia... it had been 15 years since I saw you for the last time, back then you've been a Human and the Dragon Slayer who was taught by my father. I've been small back then when he suddenly disappeared and you took his post by proclaiming yourself as the Dragon King. I know you know where he is but you won't talk because of your arrogance. Still, I'll make you talk where he is."

With this Arisa raised one arm and white runes appeared around her right arm. Her fist clenched to a fist the runes made a light ball.

"Trabem!"

A beam out of light shot towards the Dragon who was hit in the chest. Acnologia was thrown back and it fell on it's back on some destroyed buildings. Roaring in anger Acnologia rose on his feet again. He readied an attack to kill Arisa who raised both her arms.

"Scutum!" She shouted and a shield appeared around her and Carin which protected both of them from Acnologia's Dragon's Roar. Carin only winced as the attack hit the shield but got reflected by the invisible wall around them. Arisa however was pushed back and she stumbled some steps back but still tried to stand in front of Carin to protect her.

Acnologia raised one of his arms and it crashed into Arisa who was hurled trough the air and the flew into some rubble. Carin could hear her mother screaming in pain as Acnologia reached out to Carin as he tried to throw her away, too. His arm however was knocked away and Arisa stood between Acnologia and Carin again, panting heavily and bleeding. There was a wooden skewer sticking through her stomach and Carin gasped as she saw that. Arisa grabbed the skewer and pulled it out with one swift move, blood splashed out of the injury and it looked really bad. Additionally blood was dripping from her forehead and had also some bleeding scratches.

"Mama..." Carin muttered shocked and cried seeing her mother getting injured.

"You... don't touch my daughter!" Arisa panted as she looked over to Acnologia. She was coughing and her face had turned pale, tears brimmed in her eyes. Arisa had a mourning expression on her face and Carin wondered why. Arisa then attacked Acnologia with a loud roar and Acnologia returned the roar as their battle continued but Arisa was truly in the disadvantage.

"Please, father... come here..." Carin said, hugging the book tightly to her chest.

Meanwhile...

"Why did you imprisoned me here?" Zeref asked angrily and he punched the invisible cell which was preventing him from going anywhere. He glared at the Dragon which stood in front of him who was laughing loudly.

"To think that the famous Dark Mage would fall for such a little trick is really amusing." Zephyr laughed. He had played a trick on Zeref, playing like he had abused Carin by creating a Fata Morgana with his abilities and Zeref had followed him only to be captured here.

"I won't hold back when someone tries to hurt my family." Zeref said with an angry look at Zephyr who only laughed.

"Well, that's something. Right now your town is getting destroyed and people are getting killed. Neither your wife nor your daughter will survive this." He said and Zeref winced.

"What did you say?"

"The whole town right now is getting destroyed by the darkest Dragon ever. The dark Dragon of the Book of Apocalypse." Zephyr said. "Acnologia-sama is going to kill everyone there."

"You..." In Zeref's head appeared the picture of his wife and daughter being killed by Acnologia and the dark aura around him appeared. His eyes turned red in anger and Zephyr backed away.

"I won't let my family die!"

He again punched the invisible cell which held him captive and his Death Magic let the wall dissolving and also reached Zephyr who barely dodged it but his left arm got caught in the black dust and slowly rot away.

"Gaaah!" Zephyr shouted in pain as his left arm disappeared and Zeref glared at him.

"This is for holding me captive." The Mage growled before he took off towards the town which was quite far away. Zeref ran through the forest as fast as he could and he furrowed his brows.

"Arisa... Carin... please stay safe!" He muttered.

"Arisa-sama!" Raiden appeared out of nowhere as Arisa was almost hit by another attack of Acnologia. He pulled her away right in time before Arisa got hit and held her in his arms since Arisa got problems to stay upright because of the loss of blood.

"Raiden!" Carin shouted seeing the familiar Dragon who glanced at Acnologia in fear. Carin was surprised that even Raiden was afraid of Acnologia but could understand it now.

"Arisa-sama, you shouldn't fight! You're pregnant after all!" He shouted and Carin winced hearing it. For the first time she heard that her mother was pregnant but Arisa only shook her head.

"It's over... the child is dead." Arisa muttered and held her stomach as tears streamed down her cheeks. Raiden's eyes grew larger and Carin gulped as the two of them realized what was going on; the child got killed when the skewer pierced her stomach.

Acnologia however attacked them but Raiden grabbed both Arisa and Carin who couldn't move properly anymore and Arisa was barely breathing.

"Arisa-sama, you have to flee with Carin-sama." Raiden said as he landed back on the ground.

"No..." Arisa gasped and wiggled out of Raiden's arms. "Please... take Carin and run... protect her..." She cried looking at the two and Raiden hissed, he seemingly had a hard time listening to her request.

"I promised your parents to protect you..." He muttered and Arisa put one hand on his cheek. The right side of her face was damaged and bled but she smiled kindly at Raiden.

"Yes, I know. Thank you for protecting me so well until now. Please, keep protecting my beloved little daughter now." She said and shielded another attack of Acnologia by using her shield. Raiden only sighed and grabbed Carin who was struggling. He pulled her into his arms although Carin was against being taken away.

"No, Mama!" Carin shouted, crying and sobbing while Arisa briefly hugged her daughter.

"I love you, my beloved little girl. Keep living, whatever may happen, I'll watch over you, even in death. Live, you surely will find someone or something you want to live on for." She said and kissed Carin's forehead. Then she turned her back to them to face Acnologia and Raiden left with trembling body while Carin reached her arm out to her mother, yelling to her while tears streamed down her cheeks.

The next attack of Acnologia pierced through Arisa's body and ripped her left abdomen away. Arisa coughed up blood while blood splashed out of the fresh wound. Slowly she fell to the ground while Carin's eyes grew bigger and she cried loudly.

"MAMA!"

Soon she neither could see her mother nor Acnologia and curled in a ball in Raiden's arms while she kept crying.

Some time after everything quieten down in the town Zeref arrived at their house but couldn't find his family anymore so he hurried over to the town which was completely destroyed. He could smell blood, burned flesh and wood everywhere and people were crying the names of their loved ones. He also walked through the destroyed streets and called the names of his wife and daughter.

"Arisa!" He shouted as he pushed aside some rubble with the help of his Death Magic he had full under control right now.

"Carin!"

Getting no response he thought both of them got killed and he fell down on his knees as despair crept through him. The two of them were a light in the darkness of his live but if they would disappear Zeref wouldn't be able to keep the darkness from his heart.

"Ze... ref..." He then heard a faint, familiar voice and looked around to find the owner of the voice. His eyes widen in shock as he finally found his wife and could feel a lump in his throat as he used his Death Magic to lift the rubble from her.

"Arisa!" He took her in his arms and watched out to not hurt her or touch her injuries. Her body was destroyed, the right side of her face was crushed, her left abdomen was missing and she was bleeding.

"Zeref... I'm so glad... you're all right." She said huskily with a faint smile and gasped as she tried to breathe.

"Arisa... why did you...?"

"I had to protect her... our precious daughter." Arisa said and coughed up blood, Zeref held her up to let it flow out of her mouth. "She's safe now, Raiden took her to a safe place."

Zeref fought back a sob as he put his arms a little bit tighter around her and hugged her to his body.

"I'm sorry, my dear... I can feel the life slipping away. I'm sorry I can't keep our promise anymore..." She muttered and gasped. "But I'll keep watching over you and Carin, whatever may happen." Somehow she managed it to raise one trembling hand and cupped Zeref's cheek to wipe his tears away. Zeref immediately grabbed her hand and squeezed it softly.

"Arisa... don't die..."

"I'm really happy to got to know you... to be able to live as your wife. I love you... I always will. Please keep that in mind and stay on the right side... you're too kind to fall into darkness..." Tears brimmed in her eyes and Zeref sobbed as he leaned closer and Arisa also managed it to somehow raise her head so their lips touched for a last kiss.

"I love you, too. I'll keep loving you." Zeref sobbed and Arisa smiled softly.

"I'm so happy... so happy..." Then her body got limp and she closed her eyes while she still smiled and cried.

"No, don't die! Stay with me, Arisa!" Zeref shouted and gently shook her but Arisa doesn't moved anymore, instead Zeref could feel how the warmth of her body slowly disappeared and her face turned white.

"Ugh... ugh..." Zeref sobbed and then buried his face in her bosom, crying loudly as he mourned over his beloved wife's death.

"Wh..." Carin snapped her eyes open after the memory crashed upon her. Feelings of sadness, grief, sorrow, anger and rage mixed in Carin's chest, making it hard to breathe as tears streamed down her cheeks and she sobbed.

"Why... did you showed this to me?" She gasped while Raiden only grinned wide.

"I thought you'll be more into fighting Acnologia-sama now." He said and with a colorful light Raiden changed into Zephyr. Realizing that it hadn't been her guardian who had been around them Carin winced.

"You..."

"Now you realize it, huh? I've showed you the memory of Arisa and Zeref, too. You all were quite pathetic back then. Your father fell for such a simple trick, your mother couldn't fight because of the kid in her stomach and you were only a hopeless kid, not able to protect anyone." Zephyr said and laughed while Carin tried to hold back her tears but the memory of her mother being brutally killed by Acnologia distraught her and she sobbed more, curling to a ball on the ground as she cried. "Well, the chaos is spreading and Acnologia-sama will come either way without your help. I can get rid of you, just like Acnologia-sama did with your mother."

He raised his arms and water engulfed them while Carin only looked up. She was paralyzed from the intense feelings of the memories and couldn't move.

"Die!" Zephyr shouted and the mass of water flew towards Carin who closed her eyes, preparing to be hit.