Back with the next chapter!
"Speaking"
""thinking""
On with the story
Grimoire Heart and Fairy Tail were at war as the dark guild's objective was the Legendary Black Mage, Zeref
We now turn our attention to a battle field that was a wasteland
"huff…huff…huff…..h-how?" Zancrow muttered out as he was in the middle of a crater with bruises and injuries that was beyond words
He raised his head up weakly as he looks at his opponent who cause him to be like this
"how can my flames? T-the flames of a god…" he said as he looks at Natsu who was enveloped in a coat of pitch-black flames that was incinerating everything near him
"be devoured by a Dragon Slayer!?"
"haaaaaaaaa" Natsu let out an exhale as the sound of a creature growling could be heard in his exhale
"400 years…." Natsu voice out as his voice was dark and deep
"for 400 years, I have been asleep in this body of mine"
Reiter no Yoroi appeared beside him as the red armor started to turn black
It then purges as the armor equipped itself on him
"what?...what are you?" Zancrow muttered out as Reiter no Yoroi was transforming
The sound of bone cracking was heard as black demon wings appeared on Natsu's back
An eerie dark laugh was heard as Zancrow sees that Natsu's helmet was the one laughing as a demon like motive started to form
"what am i? you ask?" Natsu said to him as his armor had combined with himself and made him look like a real black demon
"I am….."
Natsu voice out as he lifts a hand up towards Zancrow whose eyes widen in shock to see a sphere of dark flames forming in it
"what are you!?" Zancrow exclaimed before he was engulfed in dark flames that burns him as he screams
Natsu let out a chuckle before he laughs as Zancrow was disintegrated into ashes
"a demon"
Natsu wipe away the black flames that was covering him as the flames appeared to his wings
He then cracks his neck as he let out a satisfied sigh
"to smell the scent of death once again after such a long slumber…." Natsu said as he started to walk away
"is so refreshing"
As he walks, nearby plant lives were burned away as Natsu walks into the forest
"where are you, Nii-san?"
Natsu continued to walk into the forest before he stops as he saw an image of Erza appearing his mind
""Erza….Scarlet""
He stood motionless before he continued his walk into the forest
East side of the Island
Ultear stared ahead with wide, teary eyes, a wide smile growing on her face with each second.
She was currently standing in front of a scowling young man with black hair, who was now slowly getting up from beneath the tree he was sitting under.
"Zeref...my Lord..." Ultear voice out in tears as she looks at Zeref.
"I've been looking for you for so long..."
"Who are you?" Zeref asked her, his piercing glare staring Ultear down. "Why do you know about my whereabouts? Is it my power you are seeking for?"
Ultear quickly dropped to her knee and bowed her head in respect. "Your very existence, my Lord."
"Is this the reason you are attacking this place? You and your people?"
"Yes. We are willing to go to great lengths in order to stand by your side." said Ultear, her bow deepening.
Zeref continued to stare at her, before slowly closing his eyes, a short sigh escaping his nose.
"No matter what era, people are still the same. All of the blood spilled, all of the lives claimed, all of the destruction caused in my name. I am unable to find words in any language known to mankind to describe just how much it pains me."
The atmosphere changed. Ultear's smile faded in an instant, giving in to pure fear. The air became uncomfortable to breathe in, and the soft wind ceased to travel through leaves and branches. There was, however, a foul stench spreading in the area at sickening pace.
The smell of death.
"I have no intention of doing anything, or taking a part in anything in this period." proclaimed Zeref, his red eyes grinding Ultear's groveling figure into the ground. "I don't want to see wars being fought in my name, I don't want to see people dying in my name. Stop attacking this island, and leave at once. I shall not repeat myself. Do not anger me any further."
Ultear looks at him as she thought that he was in his sleep state
"the soft one as usual" a deep dark voice was heard as Zeref and Ultear looks to the side and sees Natsu walking out of the forest in his new appearance
"Natsu?!" Ultear exclaimed as Natsu made his way towards Zeref who was crying in tears
"stop with the crying. That's the one thing I don't like to see after waking up" Natsu told him as his face helmet split and revealed his face to Zeref
Black markings, black eyes with red dragon like slit, and the addition of red scales on his face
Natsu was the descriptive image of a real demon
Ultear doesn't know what was happening as she had no clue why the two know each other
"ooh, you" Natsu turns to look at Ultear who tensed when she saw his eyes
"Ultear, wasn't it?"
He smirks as he raises his hand up and a sphere of black flames started to form in his hand
Ultear stood frozen as she couldn't move her body even with her mind screaming for her to move
"on second thought" Natsu said as he made the sphere of black flames disappear and lowered down his hand
"I just have you sleep here" Natsu told her
"what are you..?" Ultear said before Natsu snap his fingers and she fainted to sleep
"I still have some lingering feelings for you, consider this a thank you for back then" Natsu said before turning his attention to Zeref
"we need to talk"
Near the shore of Tenrou Island
"Hurry, tend to the wounded!" Lahar ordered Lahar to his men, who were currently trying to save their comrades, put out the fire and save the drowning at the same time.
"Repairs to the facility can wait until later! Do not let your fellow comrades die in here, that is an order!"
"Yes, sir!"
Lahar sighed stressfully and looked around as it was chaos everywhere
It took the enemy just one attack, just one attack to render their forces completely useless and defenceless.
"Those, who can move, follow me!" he ordered out loud. "We are going to charge onto the island! All men prepared for battle should-"
His orders interrupted by Mest, who teleported right behind him, startling the man. Lahar turned around and his gaze softened, seeing that his friend was safe. "Doranbolt! I am so glad to see you're safe! What are those wounds?!" he asked in concern, only now noticing the burns and cuts on his friend's body.
"I'm fine." replied Doranbolt. "How's the ship? What's the situation?"
"The worst. We've lost many men, and this ship can barely float on the ocean. We'll have to move onto emergency boats, that have somehow survived."
"And the communication lacrima?"
"intact, we're calling for backup as we speak. What the hell happened on that island?!"
"Fairy Tail, Grimoire Heart and Zeref. A three-way war has started in there. Grimoire Heart was the one who attacked the ship, Fairy Tail is fighting them off as we speak."
"Grimoire Heart….and Zeref?!" gasped shocked Lahar.
"I am borrowing the lacrima! I have to contact the HQ!" said Doranbolt and passed his friend, heading towards the communication room.
"Three biggest obstacles in the magic world...gathered in one place?! The sheer thought is too ridiculous to even consider!" said Lahar and massaged the bridge of his nose, completely lost. "If we report this catastrophe to the HQ...there's a chance the Light will be dropped..."
Doranbolt stopped in his tracks and quickly turned around, distraught. "Etherion?!"
"If it comes to that, we'll have to obey our orders and act accordingly."
"Wait a second!" yelled Doranbolt. "It is true Fairy Tail is not on the best terms with the Council, but they do not deserve to be put in the same bag as Zeref, or Grimoire Heart!"
"If it makes you feel better, then know that I agree with you, however, it is not for us to decide." stated grimly Lahar.
Doranbolt lowered his head and clenched his fists in frustration. He'd lie if he said he didn't enjoy his time spend at the guild, even if he was an undercover agent tasked with taking it down. The sheer thoughts of seeing them being vaporized pained him greatly.
"Now please, contact the HQ." ordered Lahar and walked away to regroup his forces.
With Lucy and the others
They were in the middle of fighting off the goons from Grimoire Heart before they were face to face with one of the Seven Kins, Caprico
"The Ultimate world of magic, you say?" repeated Loke and scoffed sarcastically. "What a load of crap."
"You're going to erase humans unable to use magic?!" asked Cana.
"It doesn't make sense!" exclaimed Lucy. "No one will benefit from this! It will be a horrible world!"
Gray did not say a thing, his glare of disgust speaking for him.
The group was currently standing before Caprico, who'd just finished explaining his guild's goal.
"It is true that I have also do not fully understand Master Hades' motives, but I believe that only those who know the abyss of magic can." stated calmly the Kin. "Zeref is on this island, that is a fact. When we get our hands on him, the world will be enveloped in magic, it will be reborn."
"Cut the bullshit!" said Gray and punched the palm of his hand. "You need a better reason to barge into our territory like this!"
"Master Hades has given us two missions." said Caprico and lowered himself, ready to strike. "One, to find the Black Mage Zeref, and bring him on board out ship. The other being the complete annihilation of Fairy Tail."
"I'd like to see you try." smirked Gray.
"Wait." Loke stepped in and extended his arm, alarming his comrades to stay where they are. "I'll take care of this guy. Since he's one of the Seven Kin of Purgatory, it means there are six more like him. Go look for the others, and help them."
"What are you talking about?" frowned Gray. "All 4 of us couldn't take him on, and you want to do it alone?"
"That's because there is more to his magic than you think." explained calmly Loke. "He uses Human Subordination Magic, He can momentarily weaken humans' magic and battle skills, taking away vast chunks of their power. However..."
His body started to glow, and after couple seconds, he was back in his trademark suit, now in his spirit form. "...it will not work on me, a spirit. And, as you've probably realised by now, he's also a spirit. The Spirit of Goat, Capricorn."
Lucy frowned sadly, while the others looked at him in shock. "Loke, I..."
"Do not speak a single word." he ordered her harshly and pointed at Capricorn with his finger. "I request a one-on-one duel between spirits, Capricorn!"
Capricorn's sunglasses reflected the light, as he adjusted them. "I see. I was wondering whether you've forgotten you're a spirit yourself, Leo. I accept your challenge."
Loke nodded to his opponent and turned to his friends. "Everyone, please, go now."
"But, Loke..." began Lucy.
"Hurry up and go!"
His scream was sudden and terrifying. Lucy stared at the back of his head, stunned. She then felt a tug on her collar, as Gray grabbed her shirt and started to drag her away from the scene. "We can't fight this guy, not with our magic being weakened. Let's leave this to him!"
"But..."
"It's hard for me, too, Lucy, but Gray's right." said soothly Cana. "Still, he didn't have to yell like that..."
"I'm sure there's more to it." said Gray. "He's not that kind of a guy."
Lucy watched her spirit in concern, and freed herself from Gray's grip. "Loke!" she called out to him.
The spirit turned to her, annoyed she was still here. Lucy put her right hand on her chest and pierced him with a stare he's never seen from her before. "You better come back to me, you hear me?! No matter what!"
Loke nodded before Lucy and the others started to run
He then grabbed his wrist with his hand and lit up his fist, before dashing and punching Capricorn right in the jaw. The spirit was blown away and crashed right into the wall of the nearby ruins, and fell through. He regained his footing and slid on the ground, with one hand on the ground to kill the momentum.
Loke followed him through the wall, only to be brutally kneed in the stomach, which took breath out of his lungs. He grabbed the leg with his left hand to secure his opponent in one place and elbowed the Kin in the jaw with his right, causing both men to break contact, as they both slid backwards.
"How many years has it been since you've vanished from the Spirit Realm?" asked Loke, before dashing once again.
"Seventeen." calmly replied the goat and blocked his punch with his left forearm, before throwing a strike of his own, which was also blocked. Both men secured themselves in a power struggle, one that was slowly shifting in favor of Capricorn.
"I refuse to believe you've found yourself a human capable of keeping you in here for so long. Who is your master?"
"I do not have a master." replied Capricorn and headbutted Loke, before kicking him in the gut and jumping back. "I, myself, am a Master, who uses humans to his will."
As he proclaimed so, the Kin swiped his fingers in the air.
"open the hero of Rubengard! San Jao Shin!"
Before Loke could even react, he was struck with a spear by a man clad in armor. The cut was shallow, but powerful, knocking the spirit back and causing him to cough up blood and spit. With his purpose fulfilled, the human vanished in thin air, leaving confused and shocked Loke on his knees.
"What...what was that?!" he gasped and looked at Capricorn, seeking answers.
"The young, genius general San Jao Shin, who led the army of rebels in the civil war of Rubengard in X779, the records said that he went missing in battle, but it was false as I had captured him"
"You can...summon a human?! That's ridiculous!"
"Now, allow me to come back to my earlier question, the one you've so aggressively tried to take my attention away from. Let's talk about your Master."
Loke grit his teeth and stood up. "What for?"
The goat raised his eyebrows. "So that I can make her my subordinate as well, obviously. I've already figured out that it's the woman with blonde hair."
Loke's face was the pure definition of a giveaway. He took couple deep breaths, assessing his damage.
"You wish to fight me one on one? Wrong. You've challenged me so that she could escape. Although you have technically fulfilled your task, finding this woman after I dispose of you will be a trivial matter to deal with. Your noble sacrifice will buy her an additional hour of life. How unsightly the duty of a spirit is..."
Capricorn stopped mocking his opponent, and stared at him with his eyes wide open. "Wait a moment...this woman..."
Loke clenched his teeth and kicked the ground as hard as he could, before driving his fist deep into his opponent's stomach. Capricorn's figure bent in half, which allowed Loke to kick him underneath the chin and then strike his stomach once again. He's noticed! I must deal with him as fast as I can, before-
Loke's rush was broken by a powerful punch to the gut, that dropped him to his knees. Capricorn grabbed him by his suit and threw him to the side like a sack of potatoes, before wiping the blood off his lips.
"Your reaction only confirms it. That woman...is Layla Heartfillia's daughter!"
Loke quickly stood up and put up his fists, ready to strike again at any time.
"I shall not allow her to breathe any minute longer!" roared Capricorn, veins popping on his forehead. "Where is that woman?!"
Back with Natsu
"so, over the time I have been asleep, many things have concurred" Natsu told to Zeref who nodded
"it was you who decided to slumber and live a new life as someone else" Zeref said as he lifts his hand and did several gestures as Ultear glowed a bit before the glow dimmed
"what are you going to do now?" Zeref asked Natsu
"I'll be sticking around with this guild. I have grown quite a liking to it" Natsu said as Zeref nodded understanding to him
the two stood in silence for a moment before Natsu broke it
"you sensed him, didn't you?" Natsu asked Zeref who nodded to him
"the fighting and the blood spill, will surely bring him here" Zeref said as Natsu sighs
"get off this island, my other self will handle him in time" Natsu said as he disappears in flames
Zeref smiles a bit before he started to walk away while leaving Ultear still in her place
That's a wrap!
Bye bye