Disclaimer: I am not the owner of Fairy Tail
August had seen it. From the moment Zeref came to him with his absurd plan, looking like a mad child genius, August had been stunned. Really, there was a dark basis to it that normally would have turned others away. In fact, it was the first moment August believed that there was any basis of truth to the rumors about his father's villainous past. However, as his son, August remained a loyal servant. He did not speak to Invel of the plan, for it might let word reach Ankhseram of their intentions. Unaware, he had ordered his servant to perform the black magic spell that would result in the casting of a dark curse. August had watched them both, but he had only truly been concerned in one.
"August…please, experiment with me first." Zeref spoke, pulling August into an office-like room in the back of the guild hall. It likely was not meant for them to use, but Zeref did not seem to mind. "I have not even shared this idea with Mavis…nor does Morow know that such a thing could be possible. If it fails…only you and I must know of this."
August nodded, agreeing in an instant. Anything to show his father that he was worthy of his position in the family. So, August drew upon the magic he had skillfully mastered, despite his own attempts to stop its growth. For the first time in ages, he felt pleased to be so skilled in this power. He relied on it, depended on it, but he never truly enjoyed it until now, when it was bringing him closer to the family he had always longed to have. So, when the energy within him built and finally released, taking on the form of a magic not known to mankind in millennia, August smiled. He watched as Zeref braced himself for the energy to hit him, gripping the counter tightly and making his already pale skin even whiter. August watched as he gasped,seeing him hunch over slightly as an odd white light surrounded his entire body. Two magic circles surrounded his form on both sides, creations of pure white light formed from the spell August had learned the moment he watched Invel bring Dimaria back to life.
When the magic faded away, Zeref was breathing hard, and August was surprised to actually feel some measure of drowsiness from the spell. Rarely did spells deplete his magic energy in any form, given the fact that the nature of his magic required him to have vast stores to draw upon. However, it did not mean he could not use it again, if need be.
Zeref stood still for a moment, calming himself before rising to stand straight. He looked almost frightened, reaching out towards August with an open palm. Nodding, August placed a small knife into his grip, one they had managed to borrow from the guild's back kitchen for this very test. Perhaps steal was the better term, since they were unlikely to return it, however. Zeref placed the blade to his wrist, taking a deep breath. Then, he slowly pressed it into his skin, drawing a faint line of blood on his wrist.
Both August and Zeref gazed at the wound for a moment, waiting. There was no noise in the room as they watched. August didn't even pay attention to time, uncertain of how long Zeref planned to wait. Blood continued to flow, and Zeref stared at it, as if transfixed by the sight. This was exactly how the two of them were standing when the doors were yanked open, by someone who hadn't even bothered to try knocking.
"Alright, I've about had it with your insane stupid schemes to mess with others, Zeref!" An angry voice came to them, making August frown and see Dimaria glaring at him. "Invel is cursed now. Do I think he managed that on his own? No, because he had you right there to show him absolutely every goddamn detail about the black magic that made you hate yourself too!"
She seemed to pause to take a deep breath, marching as close as she dared. Zeref still had not even moved, a faint smile flickering on the corners of his mouth. "What were you even thinking? He's downstairs right now, lost in that goddamn crap! You tried to kill yourself because of that. Do you think it's a good thing to spread this curse of yours around like a disease? Do you want everyone to be in possession of this illegal death magic too? Come on, answer me or at least say something, you goddamn bastard!"
"I'm not cursed." He breathed out the words, shaky at first. Dimaria blinked at him, frowning.
"Wait…hold on a second. Did you just say—"
Meeting her gaze, Zeref nodded and turned his arm around to show her his injury. "My immortality would heal even minor wounds such as this. Dimaria…I've found a way to unravel this curse." He paused, glancing towards August with an even wider smile. "Actually…I suppose that is incorrect. August determined the method to do so…and with this freedom, I believe it is finally time to share the news with the others. August…do you think you can manage to do the same for Invel and Mavis?" He nodded, his smile widening.
"Indeed. My memorization of magic does not fade away so quickly as you might think, Father."
Zeref frowned for a brief moment, before shaking his head and giving him a half-smile. "It…it is still going to take some getting used to. However…I am beginning to adjust, I think." August smiled, nodding. Mavis gave her love away easily, as everyone stated. However, his father had learned to be guarded. It was best for everyone, after all. To be honest, he was rather fond of the challenge of earning his appreciation anyway. It gave him something to look forward to—the day his father truly admitted he cared for his son.
Leaving the room, August shut the door and let Zeref begin speaking to Dimaria. "—I am sorry if you did not mean to come back. However…Invel was not…" He heard Zeref's voice trail off as August walked away, making him smile. It appeared as if Zeref was being more thoughtful of others already. Then again, August had seen signs of that beginning while the man had been an illusion around the guild.
Mavis was sitting at the bar on the actual desk rather than a chair. Her legs swung in front of her, smiling faintly. She had been growing to learn how to control her thoughts enough to be around others, though she had not quite been able to be near August as she desired. Seeing her, he smiled and lifted his hand, preparing the surprise. She blinked when she noticed the magic circles forming around her, growing still as her eyes began to narrow. Then, the light consumed her form and she gasped just as Zeref had, her eyes wide within the magic consuming her.
It faded away, just as August moved to stand in front of her. "What…August…that was your magic." He nodded, seeing her frown. "What did you do?"
"I've found it, Mother. The counter I had always hoped to one day learn…the one that ends your suffering along with that of my father." She sucked in a sharp breath, her eyes wide. He felt an odd warmth in his own chest at the sight, seeing her reaching towards him for a moment before pulling her arms back. "Worry not…I've already confirmed its success once before."
That seemed to erode away the last of her hesitation. Without need for any prompting, Mavis threw herself off of the bar table, her arms wrapping around August's neck. Startled by her sudden action, he only barely managed to wrap his own arms around her before she slipped to the floor completely. "August…thank you. You are…you are the best son I could have hoped for." Leaning back, she smiled with tears in her eyes, giving out a slight laugh. "I love you, August. I can finally say it out loud….that I love you, and I'm so happy to have you as a part of my family."
"And I you, Mother." He smiled at her, pulling himself back with a sigh. "However…there is one more yet that I must free from this curse."
"Another? But…Zeref and I were…"
"I only learn magic by viewing it, sadly." He smiled faintly, shaking his head. "It was Zeref's idea…to have me observe as another brought the dead back to life. An odd spell to say the least…but one that allowed me to witness the curse being cast as well."
"He…oh." She looked away, closing her eyes. "Then…alright. We…we can talk later, right? And…and maybe with Zeref, we can all…we could all go on a job or something together, right?" He nodded, frowning at her hesitation. She smiled brightly, shaking her head and glancing around the guild. "It just…it feels so strange. You said I am free from the curse…but it just doesn't seem real yet. I can't wait to go on an adventure with my family…to see what else has changed in the world, but I just can't seem to relax yet." Meeting August's eyes, she smiled widely. "But, don't worry about that! That's my problem, not yours, and I'm certain Zeref's having a lot more problems adjusting than I will. So long as we're together…I'm certain that the bonds we've formed will surpass anything else life has to throw at us. You've clearly shown the ability to surpass the fate given to us by gods, after all."
He chuckled softly, nodding and giving Mavis one more hug, moving to walk away. "Of course. I will see you soon, Mother. After all, this one isn't quite as much of a friend to me as others would be." Perhaps he knew Invel, but the two of them were not close. Really, he had already made up with Brandish, and that was the closest thing he had to a friend. So, when he walked down to unravel Invel's curse, it was actually quite a quick procedure.
"I…my thoughts on valuing life have not altered. Why did it vanish?"
"Because that was my purpose in observing you." August smiled faintly, reaching to help Invel rise to his feet. "It was to allow me to understand the inner workings of the curse, and how to undo its very existence. Now…go speak with Dimaria. She seems to be quite protective of you, after all…willing to take on my father if it means ensuring you live on in peace." His eyes widened at that, sucking in a sharp breath. However, he did not speak. Instead, he nodded, brushing past August and taking quick strides up the stairs towards the guild hall in search of Dimaria. August followed after in just a few moments, though Invel's head start allowed him to reach the person he wished to see far sooner than August.
Dimaria had just finished a rather long and annoying conversation with Zeref. Part of her wanted to keep being pissed at him, if she was being honest. Just like with Elaine, Zeref had not bothered to even try and stop Invel. She heard him admit as much himself. In fact, with how young Invel looked, she was almost certain Zeref had trained the winter mage on how to succeed. Still, she couldn't fault him for why he did it. He just wanted to get away from the curse that caused him so much pain. Really, he planned to get rid of the curse for Invel as well, so she couldn't quite say he was being selfish about something like that, not completely. The risks were what made her want to stay angry, though.
Zeref knew that August might not have been able to copy that magic. A curse from a god isn't exactly the same kind of thing as a spell from a person. Watching it being given wasn't always a guarantee that the person would actually see the curse being cast. For all Dimaria knew, the gods could pull someone into another world while they made such things. Zeref had really just gotten lucky, both in finding that his kid has such a weird magic and in finding that Ankhseram did her work in public. If it hadn't been for those two things, Zeref would have just led Invel to an eternity of suffering and misery. It was an eternity that Invel didn't seem to grasp, either, if the way he had looked was anything to base it off of.
"Excuse me." A quiet voice spoke from behind her, startling her as she glared in silence around the guild. Looking over, her brown eyes met a calm and steady blue gaze. "I believe we have something to speak about, and based on what occurred last time I wished to do so, it may be best to find another place to speak."
Nodding at Invel, Dimaria felt her glare lessening slightly and turning into a faint smile. "You don't say? Well, I suppose I might be willing to do something like that, but only for you, Vel." He smiled, a soft expression on his usually stern face. For a moment, that small smile almost seemed to make him look far kinder than Dimaria ever thought he would be. She blinked at him, before shaking her head to try and focus. He reached towards her, grabbing her hand and holding it tightly in his own, surrounding her fingers with his constant chill. Still, Dimaria pulled him along after her, guiding her to the guild master's office which was currently not in use.
"You know…I did not think I would grow to understand your odd naming belief." Invel frowned, gazing at her back. Turning towards him, she raised her eyebrows. Was he really that isolated to not understand that people gave each other nicknames sometimes? Well, she couldn't quite blame him living in those mountains. "However…I found that I missed hearing you call me that. It seems so odd, for it is little beyond a name…yet I knew if anyone else were speaking it, it still would not be the same."
She chuckled softly, shaking her head as she pressed the door open, walking inside. No one was around. The room itself was small, mainly filled with a large desk that held a few stacks of paperwork to go over. Dimaria leaned back against it, gripping the edge with her hands as she did so. "Is that so? Well, I guess it's a good thing you finally figured it out, Vel. I was thinking you just weren't all that bothered by names at all."
He was silent again, making her frown. What was with him acting like this? Invel seemed to be simply staring at her, gazing into her eyes and scanning her face for something. After a moment, he sighed and looked away. "My apologies. It's just…his majesty gave me the impression that it was possible for you to have been altered in some form by the spell. I…it was not in my desires to do so, but I needed to confirm his aid allowed me to avoid such an end to it."
The spell. A chill entered her chest at the thought, recalling Acnologia's brutal attack. She could still remember the pain, feeling something horribly wrong slamming through her entire body. She had known without a doubt that she was going to die. Yet, she found herself feeling oddly glad that Invel sucked at understanding social conventions. If he had, then she never would have kissed him. She never would have found someone who could make her feel a little less alone in the world.
Touching a hand to her stomach, Dimaria nodded and closed her eyes. With that chill, she couldn't help but think of him as well. "Right. So, you satisfied?" She dropped her arm, spreading her arms wide with a smirk. "If you really want, I could let you take a closer inspection, Vel." She knew how it sounded, and she knew he likely would look uncomfortable at her suggestive comment.
His eyes flashed towards her for a moment, his gaze sliding down her figure as she stood in the distance. "That…I…I do not believe it would be necessary." He swallowed, and for the first time, Dimaria thought she saw the hint of a blush on his cheeks.
Chuckling, Dimaria stepped away from the table, moving closer to him. "I figured you'd say something like that. You know, you're way to big on practicality, Vel. You gotta learn to loosen up a bit and just enjoy yourself every once in a while." He stared at her, frowning as she moved to stand just inches away, placing a hand on his chest. After a moment, he placed his own hand over hers, closing his eyes for a moment as his fingers lightly rubbed against the back of her hand.
"I…perhaps, but would such an action not be considered inappropriate? There are certain manners one must uphold even in private conversations. Undressing a woman such as yourself, even upon your suggestion—"
She laughed, throwing her head back brightly. "Manners?" She laughed again, seeing Invel gazing at her with a frown. "Looks like we've got some more lessons in store about social etiquette, Vel. Still…I'm starting to think I kinda like it the way you are." She smiled, growing slightly serious as she took a deep breath. "If a girl asks you to do something, you don't have to refuse because it isn't a 'proper' thing to do. But…" She broke off, looking away. "I guess I only offered because I figured you'd refuse, so I can't exactly be upset over that. Either way…like I said, I think I rather like your ignorance of social matters."
"And why is that?" He frowned, reaching up and brushing aside a strand of her hair that had fallen onto her cheek. The chill lingered on her skin, making her shiver slightly and glance up towards his eyes.
"Because…if you hadn't been stupidly ignorant, you wouldn't have spoken to me so openly on that damn train with Gildarts watching us. I wouldn't have been quite so bold as to kiss you either, I think." He frowned at her, before tilting his head.
"But…have I not done the same with you on other occasions?"
She nodded, shaking her head. "You know…you're still an idiot." He frowned, while Dimaria ran her hand over his chest, moving to wrap her arm around his neck. "I'm glad to know that even if this stupid resurrection idea of yours would have failed…you still got the chance to know how I felt. It would have been lame if I died before telling you something as big as that, don't you agree?"
He stiffened, his eyes widening as he moved to rest one hand on her waste. "Kyrie…please, do not joke about such matters. Losing you…I do not think I could have managed. It was far more painful of an experience than I expected any loss to ever be."
"We all lose people we care about. Even I have done the same." She stared into his icy blue eyes, smiling sadly. "All we can do is enjoy the time we have with them while they're still here, Vel. If I…if I am to die again, I don't want you taking a risk like this. You don't understand how that curse can consume your life…and I don't want you to have to go through that."
He frowned, touching her cheek gently with a sigh. "I see. However…are you content to be alive now? I spoke with another…another resurrected individual, and he claimed to long for death."
Meeting his gaze, she smiled brilliantly. "What kind of a fool do you take me for? Getting the chance to be alive is pretty awesome, especially when it gives me more time to be around you." He blinked at her, something softening in his eyes. However, Dimaria did not pay attention too closely. Leaning forward to close the little bit of space left between them, she pressed her lips to his. The cold bit into her skin, sending goosebumps trailing down her arms, however she did not mind. As her heart began to race and Invel's arms pressed her tighter to his body, she couldn't help but think about how she absolutely loved the cold.
Zeref had a few things to take care of, with the curse having vanished. It still felt strange, like it hadn't truly happened. He was still avoiding contact with others, and walking carefully around the guild to stay away. Those habits were hard to break…as were his emotional habits of staying distant. He'd hoped that once he was confident the curse was gone, he'd be able to look at August and feel…more fondness, like a father should for his son. Yet, it had remained the same. He'd been grateful, and he'd seen the man that saved him…but it was nothing more than the fondness he might have for one of his peers at his old school. It was dull, and he felt guilty, so he was trying to force himself to work more with the man. One day, he'd be able to learn how to care again. Until then, he had to fix the ties he'd broken already…the few he'd held on to even with the curse.
At a table in the guild hall, Natsu was sitting down with a group of friends. He smiled as he approached, sitting down next to his brother and letting him finish his discussion first. He was talking about going on some job…which meant he'd be away from Zeref for a while. It was quite alright, since he likely planned on spending time with his family now that they were free. "Natsu. Can we…talk for a moment?" His brother paused, turning towards him and blinking.
"Zeref? When did you get here?" Zeref shrugged, and Natsu narrowed his eyes. After a moment, his friends made excuses, getting up and walking off into the guild. One said they would pick a job out for them and be back in a moment. After a sigh, Natsu turned in his seat to focus on Zeref. "Alright, fine. What do you want?"
"To apologize." The dragon slayer frowned for a moment, while Zeref met his gaze. "I've done…many things I regret, Natsu. Made plans that many disagreed with, killed plenty more…and all the time, I refused to let others speak to me of what was wrong with them. I always tell myself that I know best…when in reality, perhaps I do not." Dimaria's shouting really had emphasized that as well. Even now, he was taking advantage of others and using them for his own gain. "As hard as I've tried to remain…as good as I can manage with the curse, I fear I've become self-serving somewhere along the way. You suffered as a result…as did Igneel when I got wrapped up in our plans for Acnologia."
Natsu nodded, turning his head and staring down at the table. "I figured it was something like that. Just like with you wanting to go off and die…you refused to let anyone tell you there was another way."
"With Igneel…I tried to keep your advice in mind, Natsu. I did not make that plan without him, as I told you before." The dragon slayer was breathing slowly. "He knew what the spell would do to him…as did the other dragons. Igneel…wanted to do it. He wanted to be able to protect you, Natsu…and myself. The words he said to me back then…the words about our plans, about how he saw me…they've still remained even now. I wish that I had found another way, but I do not think I would have taken the same path if we were not given that moment to be honest with each other."
"Was he happy, at the end? I mean…it didn't make him suffer or anything, did it?" Zeref shook his head, and Natsu nodded, meeting his gaze. "Good. Then…I think it's kinda pointless to keep getting angry with you about it. I mean, it's all in the past…and you are moving forward now and actually listening to me for a change. Kinda defeats the purpose if I just push you away now, right?" Zeref smiled, watching as Natsu gave him a half-grin in return. "So, have you had any luck on your research with the curse? I mean, Acnologia kinda came around and delayed that for a bit…but I'm guessing you're getting back to that now, right?"
Chuckling, Zeref patted Natsu's shoulder, letting his hand rest there after a moment. When Natsu just kept staring, Zeref found himself remembering how oblivious the boy could be. "Natsu." The boy just blinked at him, frowning. "What is the typical result of me touching someone?"
"They die. I mean, that's kinda what the curse does." He shrugged. "But you just keep changing the subject! I wanna know what I can do to help get rid of it instead!"
Zeref reached out with his other hand, shaking his head and grabbing Natsu's other shoulder as well. "Natsu." The boy seemed to blink this time, glancing over at Zeref's arm with his eyes widening. "I suppose I should have mentioned that I had a plan in mind to find a method of countering the curse before. It seems to have been quite successful, wouldn't you agree?"
His brother didn't respond at first, and Zeref dropped his arm. Instead, he just slowly patted his back, before Natsu's wide grin spread across his face. Without warning, the boy leapt up, pulling Zeref to his side in a tight hug. "Finally! Ha, now you don't have any excuses to avoid me, Brother!" Zeref grinned, trying to pull free from Natsu, yet he seemed insistent on remaining there. "I'm going on a job with my friends soon, but when we get back, we're gonna go back to our brotherly bonding again, Zeref, and this time, you're not gonna have a reason to stay away."
"As long as I'm not involved in getting to know my son, perhaps."
"Nah, he can join us! I mean, he's my family too, right?" Zeref shook his head at that, smiling as Natsu released him. Towards the entrance, he saw August and Mavis in the guild. She must have been released from the curse as well now. So, taking a deep breath, he pulled away from Natsu, letting him rejoin his friends. He had someone else to go see, and another part of his family to reunite with properly, without the curse holding him back.
Arriving in Fairy Tail's main guild hall, August took a moment to gaze around at those within. Natsu seemed to be with his team once more, though Zeref had approached him while August was gone. The black wizard was patting Natsu's back, smiling faintly at his brother who seemed to smirk widely, tugging Zeref into a sudden hug. The black wizard seemed to struggle for a moment before submitting to the brotherly embrace. Once released, he seemed to walk away, approaching Mavis warily. For a moment, those two simply observed each other. Then, Mavis threw her arms around Zeref, sobbing into his chest. He held her, a faint smile on his face the entire time. His gaze flickered upward in the process, finding August and nodding towards him. After seeing Invel approaching Dimaria, whispering something to her and taking her hand, August knew the two of them were likely going to be discussing quite a few things for a while. However, the smile on both of their faces told August all he needed to know. He truly had managed to help them in some form, with this magic he had despised for so long.
Moving towards his parents, he had a small smile on his face. "So…I hear we are to leave on an adventure soon? Perhaps I could show you the way to that library we once spoke of." Mavis turned towards him, sniffling as her eyes widened. Then, a smile broke out and she reached towards him, wrapping an arm around him as well and pulling him into their embrace. Zeref slowly patted his arm as well, looking at him with an unusual fondness in his gaze for the father who had been so distant.
"That sounds like a rather pleasant adventure to take, I think." Zeref spoke, glancing towards Mavis. "Though, I do not believe Natsu would be able to join us…"
"Zeref!" Mavis glared at him, shaking her head. "This is for our family only. Meaning you, me, and our son." He bit his lip, glancing towards August who shrugged.
"I've taken to learn that if Mavis desires something, it is often best to simply allow her to have it."
Chuckling, Zeref nodded. "You just may be right, August." He paused for a moment, almost hesitating. "I…this will not be uncomfortable for you, will it? As I stated before…I still am not decent at forming connections. I still feel as if the curse will—"
"I understand." August smiled, patting his father's back and stepping away. "As Mother just told me…our bonds, while unusual, are strong enough to surpass even the fate passed down by the gods. If that is not enough for me to be content, then I would be a rather selfish child indeed." Perhaps their family was not perfect, but August had never expected such a thing, and he suspected his parents did not either. All they ever wished for was to love and be loved, after learning their value through the trials of their past.
And now we've reached the end! I do hope you all enjoyed the story, and thank you so much for reading. The Dimaria X Invel pairing was a bit unplanned, but I found I rather liked it as it developed in the story, and I loved the idea of August freeing his parents from their curse. Again, I'm planning on starting a new Fairy Tail fic soon, so keep an eye out for it if you are interested in reading more stories from me! Feel free to review and tell me what you think!