Disclaimer: I am not the owner of Fairy Tail

Zeref was lucky that his curse meant he didn't necessarily require sleep to function. It made things more comfortable and allowed him to focus better, but Zeref could go weeks without sleep and suffer no ill health as a result. Today, it helped in the sense that while he had not slept for even a second the night before, he could focus on moving forward in the mission.

Unfortunately for Natsu, moving forward meant more travel for him. They found themselves in yet another train, journeying towards Vistarion with speed as Zeref questioned when someone would attempt to bring up his actions yesterday. A groan coming from Natsu left him feeling reassured that one dragon slayer couldn't interrogate him, but Wendy was perfectly healthy and watching him with those wide, brown eyes. He felt like the innocence in them was far more perceptive than before, and it made him frown and focus his stare out the window of the train. The passing area was rural in nature, filled with farmland that fed the empire. Currently, the corn crop was growing within the fields, treating Zeref to a view of tall stalks blocking the sight of anything deep within the fields.

Yesterday, he knew he had ended their conversation abruptly. His reaction would have been worrying to anyone, even complete strangers observing him on the street. Luckily, his citizens knew better than to question his actions, but those from Fiore were not quite so informed on his attitude. Thus far, Wendy simply watched him carefully, still making him feel the urge to squirm under her watchful gaze.

A sudden warmth on his side made Zeref flinch, turning to see Natsu falling out of his seat and smacking into Zeref's leg as a result. "Not again…just let me off…I'll walk the rest of the way…" His complaints made Zeref sigh, turning back and resting his cheek against the window. The surface was smooth against his skin, warmed by the sunlight outside. Today, there were a few more clouds blocking it from sight, but it was still shining through the fluffily white balls of fluff in the sky.

"I'd offer to help…but you can grow to be immune to my magic that takes care of motion sickness if I use it too much." Wendy commented, looking sympathetic towards her fellow dragon slayer.

Natsu glanced up towards her, hardly seeming to have the strength to do much talking. "Just…do it…anything to make it stop…" he complained, clutching his stomach before he gagged again.

Kneeling down by his side on the ground, Wendy closed her eyes in focus, This time, Zeref glanced away from the window to observe. His interest in her magic had not faded, not with its potential to heal so much. Not only did it cure the magic lingering in Natsu's scarf, but it also seemed to be capable of fixing a dragon slayer's weakness to transportation.

While Wendy looked a bit weaker as she continued working, her hands pulled away and she opened her eyes to focus on Natsu for a moment. Her magic had stopped, and now, Natsu looked shocked as he sat up suddenly, slowly grinning as he jumped to his feet. "What did you do? I feel great! You should have done this sooner, I feel like I can do anything now!"

With that declaration, Natsu turned towards Zeref with a smirk. "In fact, I think you should fight me! I wanna show her just how great this spell works. I'd never be able to fight on a train without it." This made Zeref frown, his brows drawing together for a moment.

"Natsu…you, of all people, should be aware of why that is not a good idea." Seeing that the eagerness in Natsu's face hadn't faded, Zeref sighed and shook his head. "My magic isn't designed for casual fights. When I battle, it almost always results in someone's death."

This did not seem to do a good job of dissuading the dragon slayer. "So? You said my scarf absorbs your magic, so there won't be any problems." he insisted, pounding a fist into his palm. "Besides, it's not like we haven't fought before." Grimacing, Zeref turned away, trying to block out memories of Nirvana's effect on his mind. "Plus, this is a great way to distract yourself! Get your mind off of Mavis and whatever else was upsetting you yesterday."

Stiffening, Zeref's jaw clenched tight as he turned slightly to avoid Natsu's gaze. "It wasn't anything else. Typically, I am good at avoiding remembering painful moments…but last night caught me off guard." His admission made Wendy's eyes soften, while Natsu only huffed and returned to his seat. He was glad that the dragon slayer had finally realized that fighting wasn't going to happen.

"Fine, but you're gonna fight me again one day, Z—er, August." Zeref's eyes flashed at Natsu's near-slip, but luckily he had recovered before he went too far with his name. "I wanna show you just how strong I really am, and you seem like the perfect guy to help me practice."

Recalling his time training other wizards, Zeref couldn't help but nod in acknowledgment to his final comment. Wendy, however, was still caught up on Zeref's earlier admission. "Are you…really that upset by this, after all these years?" she asked softly.

"Please, not now." he begged, closing his eyes and leaning away from both of them. Maybe he should move to a seat by himself, where he would be able to travel without further disturbances.

The sky dragon slayer bit her lip, but leaned back in her seat. Sharing a look with Natsu, the two seemed to agree upon something that made the fire wizard nod. He turned towards Natsu, not smiling like usual. "Look, you don't have to talk about it. Still, sometimes it helps to have someone you can be around to open up to. It isn't healthy for you to keep letting all of this build up within you. I mean, isn't that what made you want to…" Natsu trailed off, glancing at Wendy.

Before he could finish, Zeref closed his eyes and nodded. "However right you may be, it doesn't mean…it doesn't make it any less painful." he murmured softly. His eyes opened again, glancing towards Wendy with a frown. If he was going to discuss anything from his past, he didn't want her to hear it.

Seeing his look, Wendy gave him a small smile. "I'll let you two talk for a bit. Charle and I will go find something to eat, okay?" she questioned. Nodding, Zeref shot her a slight smile and watched her leave.

Turning back towards Natsu, Zeref leaned forward in his seat with his hands clasped in his lap. He wasn't used to this, not in any form. Maybe he had grown to trust Natsu more than anyone he had met in centuries, but that did not mean he viewed the wizard as a friend, not yet. He learned his lesson long ago, and would never allow anyone to get that close again, regardless of how immune they appeared to be. "You already know about the story behind Mavis…that I loved her, and as a result, she was trapped in a state between life and death."

The dragon slayer nodded, frowning. "Yeah, so what? We're going to fix it, so you've got nothing to feel guilty about. It's not like you meant to hurt her, or anything."

Zeref's grip tightened, his knuckles turning even paler than usual. "I never mean to do anything, and that is the problem." he stated. "With Mavis…I had thought I found a way to finally….for just once in my life, to have…" Glancing towards Natsu, Zeref felt himself struggling to explain properly. "A friend." he finished, closing his eyes. "She was immortal. In a way, that was my fault as well. I taught her the magic that gave her the same curse I have…I gave her everything necessary to join me in my torment, and yet, despite the fact that she wished to live on, unlike myself, she found the death I had longed for my entire life."

"Like I said, you didn't mean to do it, and we're going to fix it." Natsu insisted. "Even the curse. From what I know of you, I can already tell you won't give up easily. Someday, you'll find a way out of your curse. While I'm around, I'll help you too. After all, I'm sure there'll be some fun adventures while searching for a way to end a curse given to you by a god."

It wasn't enough, not to explain how he felt to the boy. "You don't understand." he stated, placing his head in his hands. "Until that moment….until Mavis died, I had no regard for life. I created demons without guilt, engineered spells that caused death and destruction, and built empires designed to wage war against the world." Raising an eyebrow at that, Natsu crossed his arms over his chest. "Never once did I feel guilt for these actions…always, it served a purpose in the end. All of these spells and plans…they were methods that could be combined in numerous ways to attempt and end my life. Any collateral damage was not my concern, not when I would not be around to see what happened after I was gone."

Listening intently, Natsu frowned at him. "Then…I met Mavis. I found some form of light, a reason to live for maybe a few years longer. My projects were put on hold, and I focused my time on helping her and her friends." Zeref shut his eyes. "My training cursed her…and that altered my wishes to an even greater extent. If I had someone by my side…someone who understood, who would not perish like the rest, then it would be tolerable. With Mavis, I planned to search for a cure, rather than death. Then, that was taken from me in an instant. The hope I had for my future…the one chance to stay on a path of light, where someone would accept me rather than reject me, all because I chose to love someone."

There was a harsh glare on his face, his hands now unclasped and clenched into fists. "I learned not to love, no matter the circumstances. The curse always wins, Natsu, there is nothing I can do to stop that, not until the day I die." he admitted. "And now, I suffer even more than ever before. You see, Mavis' death taught me something. She showed me the value of life…and made me feel guilt for my past, when no one else had managed to do so. From that point onwards…I couldn't stop killing, but I also couldn't stop suffering from every death that I witnessed. Even now…I can feel the pressure building, simply speaking of it."

With a grimace, Zeref stopped talking for a moment and pressed a hand to his forehead. Taking a deep breath, Zeref focused on thinking of anything else. Fairy Tail came to mind first. He wondered if Laxus made it back to the guild yet. Perhaps a few wizards had gone on jobs, now darker in nature than they used to be. They would adapt just fine, he decided.

As his thoughts randomly moved from topic to topic, the pressure faded and Zeref's hand fell back to his side. "Damn…here I was, thinking I could help. Guess a fight to distract you isn't that great of a suggestion after all." Natsu gave him a weak grin, trying to lighten the mood. Zeref only kept scowling, not in the mood for his humor. "Look, just don't think about it so much. I don't know much about how it works, but you seem to know when that curse of yours is about to act out. Just now, you noticed it, and you put a stop to it."

Sighing, Zeref shook his head. "It isn't so simple. Stopping the curse like that requires great mental focus…even after centuries of living, it is difficult to control my thoughts to that degree." Words were simple to control, as were his actions. However, just what did one do to prepare their thoughts? Thinking about your words and thinking about your actions were simple, but it wasn't exactly possible to think before you had a new thought.

Shrugging, Natsu leaned back. "Well, then figure it out. Practice, and until then, stop finding reasons to blame yourself for it. Like I said last time, those deaths aren't your fault. This god that cursed you is the one in control of this magic. If they have a problem with all of this death, they should take it away and realize you've suffered more than enough."

Flashes of the war echoed in his mind, making Zeref's expression darken and turn distant once more. Shaking his head, Zeref ignored them and closed his eyes. "No. In fact, I've done plenty to deserve this punishment. Ankhseram chose well for the bearer of his curse, it is simply time I learned to accept that it is here to stay."

This time, Natsu glanced around before frowning towards him. "What did you do that was so bad? I mean, I get that you made demons and stuff, but you haven't done anything recently, have you?" The question made Zeref pause, realizing that Natsu was correct. Still, it did not eliminate the centuries of guilt he had built up over the years. He had to pay the price for everything he had done, and for all the deaths he had caused.

More accurately, the answer Natsu was looking for went into why he was cursed originally. "It…that was a long time ago." he stated, releasing a deep breath. "To put it simply, I attempted to alter fate, and angered the gods. My family died in the war with dragons, and I wished to bring them back."

"That's all it takes?" Natsu commented, running a hand through his hair. "I'm surprised I haven't made them mad by searching for Igneel, then. I mean, I'm sure I've destroyed a bunch of stuff trying to find him…there was the harbor…that boat once…oh, I think I heard a rumor about him at a library, that was a bit of a mess…"

The boy trailed off, seeming to be counting the places he had destroyed in his search for the dragon. Hearing that actually calmed him in a way. Here was another wizard, who managed to destroy the world around him entirely on accident. Unlike Zeref, however, Natsu seemed to be perfectly calm about all of it. While Natsu hadn't caused any deaths, he had certainly done enough damage to warrant some form of guilt.

Seeing him, Zeref was reminded again of Makarov's advice about strength. Natsu had the strength to move forward, he realized. Even when faced with the loss of Igneel, and then again with the loss of Lisanna, Natsu kept moving forward with a goal in mind. So long as he held onto that, Natsu could keep smiling. Closing his eyes, Zeref pictured Mavis' face in his mind and let himself smile slightly. He had his goal, it was simply time to make that his focus, rather than his pain. He was freeing Mavis, and now, nothing would be getting in his way.

The sound of footsteps made Zeref glance over to see Wendy in the aisle, glancing between them hesitantly. "Sorry…I didn't mean to interrupt, but Charle and I wanted to sit back down with you. I'm not comfortable around so many strangers…" Glancing around, Zeref noticed the train actually was getting crowded now. The closer they got to the capital, the more people they would likely find. At least, that would be the case until they reached the final stop before Vistarion, since the city would be in the process of a major evacuation with Zeref's return.

"You are fine. We were just finishing, actually." Zeref stated, leaning back and nodding towards her.

Sitting down, Wendy smiled at him. "Good. You're looking…better, I guess. Actually, you look…as close to happy as I've seen you." To most people, it would seem like an odd comment. However, Zeref knew he never truly looked happy, not lately at least.

He felt his smile spread further, a sense of calmness settling over him as the rumbling of the train seemed to take up his focus. It was the background noise here, but it was constant and soothing in a way, unlike the chatter of people around him. "Natsu…was more helpful than I thought he would be, actually." The fire wizard blinked, looking surprised.

"I was? Well, glad I could help. I didn't realize it would be that easy!" he stated, grinning widely at Zeref.

The black wizard smiled in return, letting his eyes drift shut. For now, he would let himself rest. His mind would be more focused for their arrival, because he knew that the Spriggan Twelve would not react kindly to the new guests. He just hoped Irene was away for the moment, because the enchantress was not known for being kind, and other dragon slayers would likely anger her further as they reminded her of the her own troubled past.


Arriving at Vistarion was just as grand as Zeref remembered. The streets were cleared of citizens, with a few guards posted to welcome Zeref and his guests. Wendy, Charle, and Natsu all looked a bit uncomfortable following behind the emperor of this nation. They observed the guards warily, walking close to the only person they knew here as people smiled and waved at Zeref.

The city itself seemed to be circular, surrounding a massive, walled-in castle. Buildings were established outside of the walls, though Zeref found himself walking underneath the arched gateway welcoming himself into his old home. The castle itself was far more massive than necessary, but it was meant to be a symbol to the nation. With their wealth and power, anything was possible. Even the creation of a luxurious castle, large enough to function as a fortress for the entire city should it fall under attack.

More towers of the castle filled their vision as they entered the courtyard. "I've never been to a castle before. Are they all this huge?" Wendy commented, glancing around in shock.

To be honest, Zeref couldn't say for sure. He may have traveled much in his time, but he did not go sightseeing when he left the Alvarez Empire. "Perhaps, though I cannot say either way. This castle was built under my orders, so I can really only inform you about the architecture comparing it to other structures within my empire." he explained.

Nodding, Wendy hugged Charle closer to her as she awed at the sight of the flowerbeds in front of the castle. Normally, they couldn't be properly maintained if Zeref was around. For now, they were lively, though, filled with blossoms of reds and oranges to match the summer mood. They added a touch of warmth to the courtyard, and it made Wendy smile as she leaned close to smell a few of the ones planted in a planter resting on the window sill.

Moving past her, Zeref pressed open one of the doors, guiding them into the halls of his castle. "Be careful not to get lost. If I am not near, a few of my guard may mistake you as intruders." Zeref warned, watching them nod.

"If they do, I'll be able to handle them." Natsu insisted.

Raising an eyebrow, Zeref decided to elaborate on his comment from the train ride. "Oh, so I suppose you have the skill to counter a wizard who can freeze your flames?" To that, Natsu blinked in surprise while Zeref's grin widened. "I thought not. That is just one of my elite guard, the others can do more. Likely, there are a few of them wandering about at the moment. They tend to the affairs of the empire when I am absent, which happens quite often."

"Wow, I can't believe there are so many powerful wizards here." Wendy commented, glancing towards Zeref. "Did you train them all?"

Tilting his head, Zeref's smile faded somewhat. "Not quite, though I did design the program used to train them. Anyone can educate them, so long as they are given the proper tools." With the knowledge he had on magic, simply providing the Spriggan Twelve with notes on certain spells was enough to allow them to train his army. That, combined with August's unique ability allowed any wizard to train and become stronger without ever needing to meet Zeref.

The hall they were walking down was just as grand as the outside. With a high ceiling and well-lit walls, the entire area had a warm feel to it. The lights cast an orange tint across the stone walls, painted a dark yellow to try and mimic the gold trim of his robes. Today, he had dressed in a different form of his usual outfit as well. When in the Alvarez Empire, he was known for wearing an altered version of his clothing. With a similar color scheme, he now wore a long, buttoned-up coat with gold cloth decorating it in patterns along the bottom edges. His white sash was now tied around his neck as well as around his torso, looking like a scarf while still providing a similar effect as it used to. Underneath it all, he wore long black pants and black boots, finishing the look of the man known as the Spriggan Emperor.

Turning down one of the other paths, Zeref began leading them to the central meeting room. Normally, the large room would be filled with a massive round table. Thirteen seats would have surrounded it, one for each member of the Spriggan Twelve and another one for himself. It was where all of their meetings were held, but recently, he had been forced to remove the table and replace it with something far more valuable.

Pillars lined the hall, creating windows for natural light to enter through this pathway. On the left, doors were scattered for various guest rooms and offices. Most of the time, they were occupied by the employees that worked at the castle, or members of the guard that were rotating their shifts. For now, the majority of them were empty with daylight streaming in through the windows. Outside, streams could be seen flickering in through the arches created by the cylindrical pillars on his right. It created shadows on the floor as they moved across, their silhouettes dancing along the walls as they moved.

The two dragon slayers continued staring in amazement at their surroundings. Crestia truly was nothing in comparison to this place. "If you wish to explore another time, I would be more than happy to show you around for your services. However, I'd prefer not to waste our time, if you do not mind." Zeref stated calmly, glancing towards Wendy.

The blue haired girl smiled and nodded, moving along to stay near him. "Oh, that won't be necessary. I was just admiring it, that's all. Everything here…it's so amazing. I don't think I've seen anything like this place in Fiore."

Nodding, the other dragon slayer seemed to look impressed as well. "Yeah, I think you're right. The air here even smells different…though, not quite like I'd expect." His gaze flickered towards Zeref at that, reminding Zeref that he had once insisted that he smelled strange before.

"I have not been here in quite some time, if that is what you were expecting."

With that, Natsu nodded and smiled. "Ah, that explains it. Anyway, I've been to Crocus on a few odd jobs and I can tell you right now, we've got nothing on this place. Even Era doesn't have a castle this big, and that place houses the entire Magic Council sometimes." Zeref would have asked how he was aware of it, but considering that Natsu had been arrested before beginning his most recent task, he realized just where the dragon slayer had been.

"Consider me impressed. I had no idea you managed to create such a prosperous kingdom, Spriggan." Charle added, though it was clear she was trying not to sound too approving of him.

It was still enough to hear their words, to some extent. No one ever came to this place to see the connection between himself and the empire. In some ways, it was almost like a well-kept secret that he never really had a purpose of keeping. Having it revealed, and having these two enjoy this place, felt oddly like having guests over in his home. While he did not usually long for company, it was a refreshing change, so long as he kept his mind focused on his goal and not on the two near him at the moment.

Taking a turn to the left, Zeref began moving away from the pillars and back into another hall like the original. This one had bare walls, with no doors to take them to new places. At least, there weren't any doors visible to the naked eye. Here, Zeref stored away incomplete projects with magic, as well as notes on future spells to be completed later. Some of them were quite dangerous, so he kept them locked away. Another room in this hall held treasures and artifacts found throughout the Alvarez Empire, ones with known effects. Similar to the one before it, Zeref kept a hidden room with magical artifacts to be investigated, to determine if they were dangerous or safe for use.

With so many wards lining the hall, the air seemed to feel thick in this walkway. If he looked carefully, Zeref could spot a few of the magic circles carved into the stones of the walls, but Wendy and Natsu didn't seem to look hard enough to see them. Instead, they followed until Zeref turned right once more, at the first opening available. Passing by three more doors, they came across a short hallway that ended with one last door, larger than the rest and white in color. Decorative gold swirls seemed to design the front of it, with golden handles that Zeref turned to open. Stepping aside, Zeref gestured for his companions to enter.

Following after them and shutting the door, Zeref stared with a frown before a familiar sight. Wendy and Natsu had been stunned into silence, but Zeref approached without reservations. The room itself was practically empty, cleared away for the purpose of storing his greatest treasure. In the place of the former furniture was a massive lacrima, with a crystalline shape that towered upward towards the ceiling. Tinted blue, the surface seemed to shine as the lights of the room reached the surface, reflecting in spots back towards them.

That, however, was not the most shocking thing about this sight. Within, appearing to be discolored simply due to the surrounding lacrima, was what appeared to be a naked young girl. Her long blond hair flowed down and around her body, covering the majority of her body from sight despite her lack of clothing. She looked somewhat troubled within, her expression frozen into an eternal frown as her eyes remained shut.

Stepping closer, Zeref closed his eyes and pressed his palm to the surface. The lacrima was always cool to the touch, leaving his palm chilled as he reached outward with his senses. "Mavis…I've finally found someone who may be able to help you." he whispered softly. A slight smile formed on his face. Leaning forward, he pressed his forehead to the crystal as well, not paying attention as his guests observed him in silence.

After a moment, Wendy came closer. "It…it feels like there's already magic in the lacrima." she commented, standing next to Zeref's side.

The black wizard nodded stepping back and shaking off the few lingering memories of Mavis. "I told you on the boat that there would be. I understand that it may make the healing…more complex, however, we do have time available to us." He hesitated on what to do, but there was one path that could work, depending on a certain individual's mood. "If it comes down to it…there is someone I know who may be able to help you…though her specially lies more within enchantments, rather than healing. Perhaps she could temporarily remove…no, that wouldn't work. There is too much danger in removing it from her…" Zeref thought for a moment, unsure of what to do about it.

Before anyone could reply, footsteps faintly filled the room with noise. "I see you've returned, my lord." a calm voice stated. Turning his head, Zeref saw August walking around the crystal from the other side, joining him. The elderly man walked with the support of a long staff, with a long white beard resting on his chest. "I apologize that not many of us are present for your arrival. We did not have much notice of your return."

Nodding, Zeref gazed back up at Mavis. "That is quite alright. For the time being, my focus is more so on Mavis than the activities occurring within the empire. I assume everything is still going well?" The question was meant to be fairly open-ended, but he trusted his Spriggan Twelve to handle things in his prolonged absences.

"Of course. Though, you may wish to look over a few documents we've been given. More trading agreements have been negotiated with Bosco and Caelum. This year, we will be getting far more fish than usual from Caelum, but we will be losing much of our wool as a result" August explained pressing a folder into Zeref's hand. "Based on our calculations, we have more than enough to supply the empire with clothing for the rest of the year, and we can re-negotiate afterwords should we find the price too steep."

Most trades were usually done with cash, but the island nation of Caelum was always trickier to manage. They were known for still utilizing a barter system for their economy. With their prime area in the sea, just to the west of Minstrel, they had a monopoly on the rare fish that lived in those waters. Minstrel had attempted to fish there as well, but found themselves kicked out by the protective magic created and developed by the water mages of Caelum.

Considering that the fish from Caelum were a delicacy in most areas, it was worth the debates to barter with them for some form of resources in return for the fish. He nodded in agreement towards August for the offer. "I see. I shall look over them later tonight. For now, I intended on showing my guests just what it is we will be working on during our time here."

"These young wizards will be aiding you?" August raised an eyebrow at them. "I do not feel confident that they are aware of a magic I have not yet learned."

This did not make Natsu pleased, as expected. "Oh yeah?" Flames danced along his palms as he smirked and stepped closer. "I'll show ya just how strong my magic is. Just you—" Zeref grabbed his arm and shook his head, trying to cut him off before he challenged one of the most powerful of the Spriggan Twelve to battle.

Sighing, he closed his eyes. "Natsu, I told you before, do not challenge them to fights. August is far more skilled than you could imagine. In fact, he may actually be correct as to what he has seen and understands. With her healing ability, Wendy just may be the only wizard whose magic he has not seen and memorized."

"Healing magic?" August nodded slowly, glancing towards the girl with a frown. "Ah, now I see. Perhaps I could observe while she works later on. It seems like it is a skill that may be of use to understand later on."

"Of course." Zeref stated without concern. August was always searching for an opportunity to learn, and he wasn't going to argue against it. "Wendy, have you had the chance to examine the magic within? Does it feel…similar to what had occurred with Natsu's scarf?" It was a question that could decide if this journey was worth the effort or not.

Touching her hand to the surface, Wendy frowned and slowly shook her head. "Not quite…it's hard to describe, but the magic here seems like it keeps growing. I can't get a read on what it is supposed to do…and there's so much that I can't even sense if it is something I need to heal or not."

This was what he had feared, making him close his eyes and press his palms into his sides. "I suppose there is little to be done. Even with this magic clouding your ability to sense the curse, do you think you may be able to mimc your spell from before?" It was his final hope, at least for the current attempt. Even if Wendy's magic failed, this had now become Zeref's sole focus. He would find a way to reunite with Mavis, and return to the future he had begun to plan a little over a century ago.

"I don't know if it will work…" Wendy trailed off, looking nervous as she glanced at Zeref. After a moment of studying him, she began to nod. Her expression hardened, her eyes glowing with a determination he had never noticed in her before. "Even so, I have to try. I promised you that I would help, and if that means I have to heal without knowing what is wrong, then I will do my best."

With a smile, Zeref nodded and returned his attention to the lacrima. Pressing his palm to the surface one last time, he let himself smile pleasantly as he tilted his head towards the floor. "Thank you, Wendy. August, please escort them to the guest rooms in the central wing. After our long train ride today, as well as this discovery, I have a feeling our guests will need some rest before we can truly begin work on freeing Mavis."

Nodding, the Spriggan Twelve member began to guide Natsu and Wendy away, leaving Zeref alone in the massive room. Turning away from Mavis, Zeref slowly sunk to the ground. Leaning his back against the surface of the lacrima, feeling the chill sink into his body through his shirt, Zeref closed his eyes. "I may not be able to hear you, Mavis, but it calms me just to know you are there. After all of this time, I know…I know you must hate me, but it changes nothing for me. Regardless of what paths our lives will take, my heart will always be yours. I just hope that when this is all over, you'll be able to find it in your heart to forgive me and at least allow me to remain by your side, in some form." Letting his hands rest on the ground by his sides, Zeref slowly began to sink into a deep sleep. His head rested against Lumen Histoire, as he dreamed about a young fairy's beauty, enchanting the heart of the spriggan who wanted nothing more than to stay by her side for all of eternity.

And they are now in Vistarion! For any of you wondering about all of the countries mentioned before, I looked up a map of Ishgar to try and get more of an idea of places Alvarez might interact with. I don't think any of those places will really come up again...but I guess I won't guarantee they won't either. Feel free to review and tell me what you think!