Disclaimer: I am not the owner of Fairy Tail or Once Upon a Time
(Many years ago, in the Enchanted Forest)
Zoso's help had come and gone, and with his failure to cure Mavis and Zeref, that left only one more option. Zera had an idea, focused on the two people in front of her. "I've noticed it a lot lately, how strong your love for each other has gotten. I think if we add in a little something extra, it just might do the trick." she had told them, smiling as she guided them deep into the forest.
Zeref did not know where they were going, but Mavis had hope so he chose to follow. Ever since they began meeting with Zera, Mavis had grown brighter, much more like she used to be. She was happy and dancing, often talking to Zeref like they used to. At times, he was even led to believe she still might love him. There was a bond between them, something that had grown from an understanding no one else could gain. No one else could experience the unique suffering of their curse, and that was why they clung together in even the darkest of moments in their lives. Regardless of the terrible things they might do to each other, Zeref knew this bond would never break, that a part of them would always love each other.
"See? I told you, true love can break any curse. We just didn't have all the pieces of the puzzle." Mavis had stated, teasing Zeref gently and grabbing his hand as they walked. She had gotten far more affectionate here, something Zeref did not mind at the moment. It was not as if anyone else could touch him, so he welcomed any embrace she could give to him. He felt her cheek nuzzle his arm as well, before she pulled back and gave him a bright smile, swinging their hands as they walked forward.
Zera smiled back at them, watching them with a look of adoration on her face. "Aw, see, that's just what I'm talking about. You two are so cute together and you don't even realize it. Come on, we're almost there." Zera told them, moving quicker as they rushed forward. Zeref still did not know where she was taking them. Zera had requested to keep it a secret, and Mavis had been pleased to do so. She loved the idea of adventure, of solving a mystery regardless of how strange it seemed.
Still, Zeref wished to know what it was. He wanted an idea of what kind of magic she sought to use, since he was well informed in the magical arts. Few knew more than he did about the magical world, unless you looked at magical races as a whole. Fairies excelled in light magic, an art Zeref had abandoned after seeing how corrupt it became in his hands. Even the lightest of spells turned to black in his grip, showing him that his curse did more than steal life away from others. It stole the life away from his spells, forcing him to use nothing but dark magic. Luckily, Mavis' illusions were considered a neutral spell, capable of being light or dark, thus she was still able to use them however she pleased.
"Mavis, if you are uncomfortable with testing her methods out, I am willing to take the risk of seeing just what she seeks to use to cure us." Zeref offered, whispering to her so Zera could not hear. The fairy was still far more concerned with the girl she had become friends with, rather than Zeref. She did not mind Zeref's presence, but it was clear that the two of them could be nothing more than acquaintances at best.
Mavis frowned at Zeref, shaking her head. "No, I trust Zera. If she says this will work, then I know in my heart that it will. Besides, I'm ready to be freed from this, whatever it takes." she told him, smiling brightly at him as Zera pushed aside a wall of vines, covering what appeared to be a large cavern hidden deep in the forest. She stepped inside, beckoning for them to follow.
"As you wish. I will not stop you, but be aware that there are risks involved. This is still magic, regardless of how light she claims it is. Our curse will attempt to corrupt it, it could result in catastrophe for this realm." he warned. Mavis nodded, laughing off his warning. Perhaps if she had listened to him, if she had taken him more seriously, they could have prevented the outcome of this little experiment of theirs.
"Stop being so pessimistic, you're like the opposite of a fairy. So dark and grumpy all the time….." Mavis mused, seeming to be thoughtful for a moment on just what Zeref was like. "Aha! I know, you actually are a spriggan, a master of magic but too concerned in the ugliness of it to see the joy in the world around you." she declared, while Mavis rolled his eyes.
"Actually, a spriggan is a fairy that delves deep into the art of black magic. The most well known one is currently the Black Fairy, though few outside of our own kind know of that term for her." Zera stated, overhearing Mavis' words.
Zeref smiled at her, a rather dark smile as he thought of who he was and the things he had done. "Perhaps I am a spriggan then….after all, I am a master of dark magic, capable of doing the impossible with my spells." he mused. Zera looked frightened at his words, while Mavis scowled at him, her hands on her hips as she tried to stare him down.
"That wasn't nice, Zeref. Be good, you aren't here to scare our new friend." Mavis ordered, while the Black Wizard sighed, giving Mavis a slightly less frightening smile as he nodded in agreement.
"Very well, I will do as you wish, my fairy princess." he stated, bowing dramatically before her. Mavis giggled with joy, clearly happy with having Zeref play along with her fantasy. As strange as it was, this was how they had first bonded, over Mavis' love of fairies. If Zeref could make her smile by being a spriggan, than he would gladly take on that title for as long as he lived. Perhaps he should use it in the empire he was starting, after all, he did need a place where those in the continent of Ishgar would be unable to find him.
Zera smiled at them, happy to watch them play for a few moments longer before she cleared her throat, trying to get their attention. Mavis had been running around the cavern, yelling at Zeref to try and catch her as she did so. With an eye roll, Zeref had listened to her command and chased her around, hearing her giggle and shout about how she felt as light as a fairy here, how he would have to be faster than that to catch her. Still, it was a distraction from their goal, one which had to stop at some point.
"As amusing as this is, I suggest you take a look behind me." Zera stated, watching as Mavis stopped, staring at what Zera had behind her back. Zeref gazed at it as well, frowning as he tried to determine just what use this could be. A massive crystal was behind Zera, lodged deep within a pool of still, blue water. The water itself seemed to glow faintly in the cavern, as if illuminated by the crystal itself. "This is one of the greatest of our treasures, a stone far purer than even a diamond. Fairies have protected it for generations, always trying to prevent any harm from coming to it. You see, this stone is born of the purest of magic, from the love between two fairies born long ago. Their love was so pure and strong, they sought to share it with the world, and make it last forever. That is why they immortalized themselves in this form, transforming themselves into a crystal in which their souls would forever survive within."
Zeref observed it calmly, sensing the immense magic power within. It was a storage unit of sorts, just as she had described, containing an almost unlimited supply of light magic. Perhaps there was just enough to stay pure, even through the darkness of their curse. "There is so much magic….perhaps it will be enough. Mavis, are you sure you wish to attempt this? It would mean stealing away a great treasure from an ancient race, and even then, there is no guarantee that it will succeed in freeing you." Zeref asked, watching Mavis' awed face transform into a determined look.
"Yes, there are no other options. I've run the calculations in my head, our odds of success may be slim today, however, they are far greater than they would be if we work alone to try and find our cure." Mavis stated confidently, the strategist in her coming out. He had rarely seen this side of her, though he knew it was a part of her. Having been the guild leader of Fairy Tail during a time of war took its toll on her, and it left her with a mind designed to see all possible outcomes of a situation.
Still, even with that mindset, she had eventually lost the ability to see her guild members as players in a chess game between nations. People began dying around her, a result of the curse, and that was why she came back to him, seeking out some method of ending her cursed existence. This had been the only solace he had for her, the only option he had yet to explore for a cure. If this did not work, he was afraid of letting her join him in his plan for death. END, while incredibly powerful and potentially capable of granting his wish, would result in a painful end for anyone.
Zera smiled at Mavis, stepping forward and taking her hands with confidence. She no longer feared Mavis' curse, but somehow, she was still uncomfortable with Zeref's. It made little sense to Zeref, considering she was at a higher risk around the person who cared for her more, but if it helped Mavis, he would not object. "Good, because I have a good feeling about this. All it will take is a little bit of a transfer, moving the magic from the stone to you. Then, once you are filled with the magic of true love, you will be capable of breaking any curse, even the one placed on you." Zera stated, sounding confident in her words.
"We have tried true love before, you are aware that it is what cursed Mavis, correct?" Zeref asked, watching as Zera nodded, staring up at the crystal as she walked into the water with Mavis at her side.
Her hand pressed against the crystal, a look of reverence on her face as she stared into the surface of the smooth stone. "I know, you told me all about it. This is stronger than true love's kiss, though. It contains the full power of all the love from two of the most powerful fairies in history. If anything is capable of ending your curse, this would be it." she argued. Zeref stared at the stone, watching Mavis nod at him and give him a thumbs up as she stood behind Zera, grabbing the fairy's hand without hesitation in the water.
"It'll be alright, I promise! After all, what could be worse than our curse?" she stated, smiling brightly at him. Zeref would later wish that he had stopped her at that moment, that he had acted on the feeling of worry that he had deep in his heart at that moment. Still, the brightness on Mavis' face had given him hope, hope that he had not had in a very long time. He did not want to destroy it so quickly, so he stayed silent and nodded, giving Mavis a slight smile.
"Regardless of what happens, Mavis, know that my heart will always be yours. I have never loved someone the way I care for you, and no one has seen me the way you do. I value that more than you can comprehend, and should you ever be in need of my assistance, all you have to do is ask." he told her, watching as Mavis nodded, rolling her eyes at him.
"Stop being so dramatic, Zeref! This isn't goodbye, I've still got plenty of adventures in mind for us. We'll be together forever, I promise!" she had told him, something that made his heart beat a little faster at the time. He wanted that future so badly, a chance to have happiness with this girl before him. Still, fate had other ideas in mind for his story.
Zera closed her eyes, focusing on the magic around them. As he stood away from them, Zeref could sense the ethernano in the air lessening, being drawn into the crystal before him as the magic began to flow between them. Zera was the link between Mavis and the crystal, the person that allowed the magic to flow into her body. He could feel that bright magic filling Mavis, increasing her magical ability tremendously in seconds. The room itself seemed to glow with white light as the magic began to transfer over, until the glow resided solely around Mavis.
"I feel…warm. It's so light…." Mavis had whispered, her voice awed as she held out her arms, observing the glow around her skin. Zera was breathing hard when she opened her eyes, stepping back to stare at the results of her spell. Suddenly, Zeref and Zera were both blasted back by a wave of magic, pure white mixing in with a wave of black as Mavis cried out, screaming in pain.
Zera collided with Zeref, both of them, slamming against the cave wall as the blast continued on, unstoppable. Zeref watched in silent horror, sensing that the magic within Mavis was not lessening even in the slightest with each pulse. Every pulse of magic kept Zera and Zeref trapped against the wall, unable to reach the woman they both wished to protect. "Oh no….what have I done?" Zera asked, horror deep in her voice.
Zeref stared on with a grimace on his face, rising slowly as he felt his body nearly being torn apart by the force of Mavis' magic. "It must be stopped….regardless of the price. This is not what Mavis would have wanted…." he whispered, taking a step closer to her.
"What are you going to do?" Zera demanded, tears streaming down her cheeks as Zeref gazed solemnly at Mavis, aware of just what needed to be done. If true love's kiss brought Ankhersam's curse to Mavis, perhaps it could bring yet another curse to her body. A sleeping curse would put her magic into a dormant state, where he could wait until the time was right to awaken her. Once he found a way to seal away that power, to free her from both curses, he would awaken her again.
"The power of true love will stop this. In the end, I always knew this would happen. I should have known from the start….everyone I love always leaves me in the end." Zeref stated angrily, finally taking one last step and closing the distance between himself and Mavis. She was crying, her body hunched over on the ground as he kneeled down beside her, his palm cupping her cheek gently. "Do you want me to stop this, Mavis? If it is your desire, I will put an end to your suffering, and give you the peace I have yet to find." he offered.
Mavis stared at him, tears in her eyes as she hugged him tightly. "Zeref….I don't want to leave you!" she screamed, before another wave of magic blasted out from her, black and white exploding from her body as she was unable to contain so much power. "At the same time….I can't stand to be around you. I don't know how to feel….I love you….and I hate what you've done to me….tell me what to do!" she begged, looking so lost and helpless.
Zeref gazed at her sadly, feeling tears fall down his own cheeks. "Rest, then. I will not force you to think on decisions such as this, an impossible choice within your own heart." he had told her. Mavis sniffled slightly, gazing into his eyes as Zeref leaned down, giving her one last kiss. It had been sweet and precious, a bittersweet moment as he knew just what he planned on this doing.
It seemed that it had worked, when he felt Mavis go limp in his arms, the magic pulses stopping as suddenly as they began. Staring at her, she looked as if she were dead, but Zeref knew better. She was immortal, and as much as his curse strived to kill her, this was the closest it could get. The final black pulse from her body had been a sign, the sign of true love keeping her alive even as it brought upon her a fate worse than death. He still had one final piece of advice for her as he sat on the ground, cradling her limp form with tears falling down his cheeks. "Rest, my sweet fairy, and always let love live on deep in your fairy heart."
(Today, in Storybrooke)
Lucy was a bit dazed by all the insanity going on right now. She had been living her normal life in this world, pretending to be 'cured' of her insanity that came when she first arrived and working like a normal member of society until this point. Now, she was dragged into a strange town, where her magic seemed to work again. On top of all that, Natsu was back. She didn't know what kind of miracle had done it, but it made her so happy to see her old friend, smiling and butting heads with Gray like usual.
"Yo, Luce! Man, you've gotten old." Natsu commented, walking over to her. They were walking down the street, trying to figure out what to do now. Many of the old guild members wanted revenge, but Lucy wasn't sure if they should do it. Going after Zeref would be challenging, and none of them had any idea where this dagger that could destroy him would be.
"Aye, she's gotten fat too." Happy added, flying by his side. Lucy glared at the cat, raising her fist in anger. She was not fat, nor had she ever been fat. That cat didn't understand that a woman's body was meant to have curves.
"Watch it, cat. I think I liked you better when you couldn't talk." Lucy told him, watching as Happy flew out of her reach, hiding behind Natsu to avoid her anger. "Anyway, a lot has changed since you….left. This isn't our world anymore, and Fairy Tail….well, I guess it doesn't exist anymore." she stated, touching her guild mark wistfully. Maybe they could bring it back together again, but it would be hard work. They had no one to lead them, not since Makarov….well, Lucy didn't like thinking about that. The darker parts of their war against the Alvarez Empire still haunted her memories, and she didn't want to dwell on them.
Natsu stared at her, frowning slightly. "So? That doesn't mean I'm not going to kick Zeref's butt. That guy doesn't stand a chance against me." Natsu insisted with a smirk, while Lucy shook her head, not so confident in his words.
"Regardless of what you think, our best option is to find that weapon he was talking about. He is immortal, even if your magic is strong, I don't think it is enough to destroy him." Lucy stated, frowning as she thought of what to do. That was when she got an idea, something she should have tried right off the bat. "Oh! I know just what to do. I've been waiting for a chance to use these guys again, I've missed them so much. Open, Gate of the Twins! Gemini!" Lucy shouted, a key in hand as she brought out the two blue spirits, hovering in the air.
"Piri, piri!" they stated, the only words they seemed to say in this form. Lucy grinned at them, watching as Natsu gave her a bored look.
"Just you watch, Gemini will take care of this problem for us. I want you to go find the man people around here call Gold. From what I've heard, he seems to be the one that knows where this dagger supposedly is. I want to know everything about it, and where to find it." Lucy ordered, watching Gemini nod at her, flying off to follow her orders.
Natsu stared at her, shaking his head. "Luce, this plan is so lame. Where is all the fighting, the battles to prove your strength? Come on, I want some action already! You guys already screwed up my chance to get Zeref last time, now you're ruining it again!" he complained.
Lucy shrugged, wondering just how much Natsu really missed fighting. Sure, it got entertaining around the guild hall when it was just for fun, but battles against the dark guilds and the Alvarez Empire had been different. There was something serious about them, the risk of death that they were facing in every battle. She didn't like that feeling, the sense that someone was going to die soon. It was too dark for her, and she hated thinking that any of her friends would go away soon.
"So, Gemini is going to tell us all about this Gold guy? Just how is that going to help us against Zeref?" Natsu demanded, still not following her logic.
"Didn't you hear them before? Zeref seems to think that Gold knows where this dagger is. With Gemini's power, we'll know everything he knows. It'll be a piece of cake to get the dagger after that." Lucy stated proudly, watching as her spirits returned. She smiled at them, waiting to see just what they had accomplished. In a matter of moments, they transformed, the exact image of Gold standing directly in front of them.
"Well, I have to say, I didn't expect to see all of this info in that man's head. He was a tough one to sneak up on, but he was nothing compared to us." Gemini told Lucy, smiling as Gold. It looked creepy, much too bright for the face they now wore, but Lucy did her best to ignore it. Natsu jumped back, along with Happy, at the sight, clearly disturbed by Gemini's new look.
Staring over at Gemini, Lucy smiled. "So, what do you have on the dagger?" Lucy asked, while Gemini frowned, looking slightly concerned.
"It doesn't seem like it is designed to kill all immortals, only the Dark One. At least, that is what this man thinks. The dagger is connected to his power, if you are in possession of it, you can control his every action, and he fears losing it to someone else. That is why he keeps it well-hidden, protected by his own magic. If someone were to kill Gold with it, they would gain his dark magic and his immortality." Gemini told her, while Lucy frowned. If it was only designed to kill one man, what use was the dagger to them? It was a weapon, sure, but they had no clue if it would work against Zeref.
Natsu smirked at Gemini, looking excited over this. "Sweet, we just get the dagger and take this Dark One's magic, then we'll be strong enough to defeat Zeref!" Natsu insisted, while Lucy smacked his head.
"Knock it off, idiot. Then we'd have even worse problems to deal with. Can you even imagine what immortality would be like? You would have to watch everyone in the guild die, while you stayed the same forever. It'd be….unbearable." she decided at last, uncomfortable with the idea. Natsu didn't look quite so eager after Lucy put it that way, his face browning thoughtful and serious.
"We have to try something, though. Zeref will destroy everyone in the guild if we don't, just to get his hands on Mavis again. You don't think he's given up on that , do you?" he asked, while Lucy shook her head. They knew little of Fairy Heart or where it came from, but its immense power could do incredible things if channeled into an actual spell. She did not want to see what use Zeref had for it now.
Glancing over at Gemini, Lucy wondered if there was another way. "Gemini, based on what you've learned from his mind, do you think the dagger could destroy Zeref?" Lucy asked, watching the spirit frown, thinking for a few moments before grimacing, stumbling slightly as their weight shifted and they lost their balance.
"Damn, this body is weird. That man hobbled himself to save his life from a war, but it makes moving around difficult. Anyway, the dagger might be an option, but it's hard to say for sure. Rumplestiltskin, or Gold as he is known here, is immortal and can survive any wound save one dealt with that blade. If you want to try, I know where he has it hidden. Quite clever, if I must say so, I never would have guessed if I didn't have his mind right now." Gemini stated, smiling at Lucy.
Lucy grinned back at her spirit, glad that they finally had some type of luck in this world. After being locked up almost immediately after arriving, Lucy had no love for the realm she found herself in. Much like Edolas, it lacked magic, but even worse than that, the people all treated her like the crazy one. As far as she could tell, she was the most sane person around, regardless of what everyone claimed. "Great work, lead the way!" Lucy stated, chasing after the spirit who began limping towards the clock tower. Natsu grinned before running after them, happy to have a mission that could keep him active again.
"Wait….you're saying that Zera is actually a powerful fairy? Sorry, but I'm not buying it. I've been in love before, and trust me, it didn't give me any special super powers, it didn't make anything even remotely magical around me." Emma argued, continuing their conversation from before in the forest. Zeref had just made the claim that Zera knew more about magic than any other person in Misthaven, while Hook and Henry stood still.
Hook didn't seem all that pleased hearing about Emma's former love, but beyond the tension in his jaw, he did not let it show. Zeref could see it, though, something he had ultimately gotten used to doing over the years. He could read people well, even if he did his best to avoid them. It served him well, helping him understand when someone would attack, or when they would run. "Perhaps not in the sense you are thinking. Blue is the one with the greatest capability for light magic, however, Orange, or Zera as she prefers, is the most knowledgable. She was always too shy for public jobs, you see, so she found herself working mostly within the home of the fairies, sorting through their records and keeping track of spells that would have long-since been forgotten if not for her." Zeref stated, gazing upward at the sky.
Henry nodded, glancing over at Emma with his new book in his hand. "He's right, Zera knows more about magic than even Blue would know. If you don't believe him, believe me. I found their story, I know more about their world than you do. Please, just trust me this time, and show me that you can accept that sometimes, things don't make sense in this world. We can't control death, but we can control our actions in life. Zeref is no different then us, he simply wants to find a way to end his own suffering." Henry tried, fighting for his new friend.
Zeref was still intrigued by this boy, the one who seemed to trust in him so easily. In a way, Henry was much like Mavis. Both of them saw the brightest parts of the world, and managed to create an image of it where the darkness would always fade at some point. It was why he had agreed to help Henry, to see if there was an Author capable of rewriting their story. "Sorry, kid, I'm just not feeling it. Zera told me some nonsense about me being able to stop Zeref because I'm the product of true love. As far as I'm concerned, that was what allowed me to save you and become the savior, but I am nothing else beyond that. Heck, I can hardly save this town, so I might as well no longer be the savior either. All I did was try and give my son one kiss, that does not warrant any such title." Emma argued, sounding very sure of herself.
Zeref was trying to figure out just what the fairy was planning with Emma. True love was her plan again, yet they both remembered how it turned out last time. He did not think she would venture down that path again, yet here she was, seeking out Emma for some reason. Perhaps there was something to her thought, though. Emma's magic was strong, and now that he focused more on the dormant power within her, it appeared to be even stronger than the power of Fairy Heart itself, something he had never expected to sense. She could keep it contained, even without thinking about it. That very fact was amazing itself, and he wondered if the fairy might have actually found the cure she had always sought. However, it was too little too late. Mavis was gone, trapped with the curse of Fairy Heart, and even with the assistance of Emma, he did not think that magic could be lost.
"Back up a second, Swan. Are you saying that this fairy told you to love someone? Is that what she wanted you to do?" Hook asked, sounding just as lost and confused as Emma had been.
Zeref nodded, smiling slightly as he glanced at the pirate. "It is not all that surprising. True love, the most powerful magic of all, the one thing capable of breaking any curse. Yet, what do you do when true love is the cause of your curse? It clearly cannot break it so easily, so you seek out a power even stronger. In the end, even if you open your heart to the idea of love, it will only lead to more pain and destruction." Zeref argued, his voice filled with pain over his own past.
"Don't talk like that, there's still hope! Mavis is still alive in there, we just have to figure out how to separate that magic from her. It wasn't always a part of her, there has to be a way to take it away again. If my Mom can cure you of Ankhersam's Curse, then you can both be free at last. There would be no need for this war, no need for anyone to die." Henry argued, pleading with Zeref.
This boy was so innocent, unable to see the truth that existed in this life. Everything died at some point, regardless of their wishes. "Everything dies in the end, Henry, it is best to accept that now before it is too late." Zeref stated, while Henry's smile faded, glancing down at the book in his hand. "I told you before, you hold the book of darkness in your hands. There is no happy ending for us, regardless of what you wish for. The only thing that awaits us is pain and suffering, that is why I simply wish to rest, to end that suffering in the only form possible to anyone." he continued.
Henry didn't seem too convinced, glaring at Zeref. "I told you before, I am going to change all of it! I will stop Acnologia, and you will help me. You said you'd offer me your power, so do it now. If magic isn't strong enough to stop him, I need something that is. Do you still have it in you to create one last demon?" Henry asked, watching as Zeref narrowed his eyes at the boy.
The Black Wizard could see where the child's mind had gone, and he did see the potential in the idea. A powerful demon, one that was physically stronger than any he had created before, that would be their best chance to truly destroy the Black Dragon of the Apocalypse. "Bring me a book from the Sorcerer's Mansion and your pen. Do that, and I shall be capable of doing as you ask. If you seek out the mansion, it is on the other side of town, hidden by a heavy cloaking spell. Emma Swan, with the power I sense within you, it should be more than enough to destroy that barrier and allow both of you to gain entry."
With those words, Zeref turned to leave, a cloud of black smoke the only sign that he had ever been there in the first place. No one knew what to do at that point, even if Henry was sure of what needed to be done. Emma wanted to protect her son from the villain he seemed to be so friendly with, Hook wanted to protect Emma from whatever disaster was coming to this town, and Henry simply wanted to find everyone their happy ending. This was his new goal, he decided, the plan in mind. He was calling it Operation Spriggan, in honor of his new friend. The purpose behind it, well, he couldn't quite share that with his family, but he knew deep down what it was. He was going to free Zeref from his curse, and bring light to his life.
I've got another chapter ready for you! I hope you enjoy, thank you once again for the reviews. If you have any comments or questions, feel free to leave me a review and I'll do my best to reply soon!