Chapter 10 Confessions

Zeref felt suspended as if in liquid, his senses were dulled and slowed, Where am I? Zeref's body seemed to descend to the unknown, floating with his limbs moving slowly in sync to an undefinable current or gravity. Zeref felt so tired, he had been enduring life for so long he couldn't place where he had stumbled upon, sometimes he found himself passing the time sleeping for decades – maybe this was what he was experiencing, a dream-like state to pass the time…

Zeref's body floated down to the depths of this ocean of silence, his head gurgled as he opened his eyes through the darkness, his eyes slowly focused to make out different shades of this liquid. Zeref's head felt heavy, his eyes squint as lighter colors came into his vision. A blurry outline of a child ran to the clearing, Zeref frowns unsure who was nearing him, his eyes sharpened as the pink haired boy smiled at him warmly, "Come on Zeref, let's play!"

Zeref blinks in surprise, Natsu… Zeref found himself hitting the bottom of this ocean, he stood surrounded by darkness once again. Natsu…?

"P—please wake up!" Another child's voice cried somewhere he couldn't see. Zeref turns around trying to pinpoint the frantic child. Zeref felt his lungs burning, he held his mouth preventing more air bubbles to escape him – he felt like he was drowning. Zeref looked around frantically for the child that was calling out to him. He noticed above his head; light was breaking through the depths of the ocean to reach him. Zeref pushed off the seafloor, he reached out towards the light to break to the surface. "Dad wake up!" August... Zeref stretched out his hand breaking through the darkness.

"Please wake up!" August cries, shaking Zeref – his body was unresponsive. He gazed around panicky – he needed help! August didn't want to leave his father alone, he let out screams of help hoping he could be heard. August's tears fell onto Zeref's face, he didn't know what happened. He had this horrible feeling it was his fault this was happening…

August's screams alerted the guards in the halls, word spread throughout the castle leading to every guard and servant to arrive with waves of flustered and worried expressions. The whole upper levels were crowded as the word of something befalling the Emperor spread throughout the staff. August sat on top of his father's chest, bawling as he shook the unconscious man on the floor. The handmaiden tried to pry the toddler away from him to give the doctor space, but August hugged onto Zeref's neck refusing to leave his side.

"Dad wake up!" August cried digging his head into Zeref's chest. The guards muttered to themselves nervously, unsure of what would had done this to their Emperor. August cries about a dark fairy persuading him to tell his secrets unsettled them further. When his Majesty does wake up, every guard felt a sense of duty to uphold to aid against the attacker.

The muttering seized as a strangled breath escaped the lips of the Emperor and his eyes flew open. Zeref sat up quickly glancing around with wide startled red eyes, August cried louder as he hugged his father tighter as he hung from Zeref's neck, Zeref wrapped his arms around the child as he recognized his surroundings. Zeref's eyes soften to a dark brown as he laid his head against August's.

The room gave off a relieved atmosphere as the servants and guards held soft gazes as their Emperor lively held onto the little prince. Zeref noticed the crowd he had caused, and he stood up authoritatively, he gave an uneasy small smile, "I'm sorry I worried all of you. It appears I had underestimated my hospitality. I'm sure there has been rumors about ghosts in the lower levels of this castle, to some degree they are true… I've been keeping a very dangerous individual in our cellars for too long, and I am sorry I did not see the consequences of my actions."

The staff gazed at each other nervously, especially the guards that patrolled the lower levels and could have sworn hearing and seeing a girl running through the corridors. They had heard rumors about August's mother, how the woman tried to murder their little prince. No one really knew what happened to the woman for she never set foot in the castle and their Emperor never was seen with a woman, only one day he brought home a son.

Zeref was aware of the stories, and he felt it was time to clear the room of any doubts about him, "I'd kept a close eye on August's mother in the cellar hoping she would snap out of her hysteria, and I wasn't prepared for the advantage she had over me. She possesses similar magic to my own and I underestimated her, but you should not fear for I will not be easily subdued again."

More mutters went around the masses and Zeref frowns at the concerns his people gave him. Are they truly worried about my wellbeing? Zeref cleared his throat continuing, "We have much to discuss for our future, I will be speaking to each branch of this staff and guilds tomorrow. Please be prepared to be called in, and I hope all of you are able to sleep well after this… disturbance." The staff filed out of the rooms as they all went their separate ways mumbling about what the Emperor would be discussing for each branch of the castle and to the guilds. Zeref's eyes fell on his advisor seeing the man peering at Zeref worriedly, Zeref smirked at him slightly, "Send word to every guild master, I will be visiting each guildhall to overlook the skills of the mages. I had become too relaxed and overlooked necessity for this country."

The advisor nods and slipped out of the room leaving Zeref to a wide-eyed toddler.

August hadn't let go of Zeref's neck, he even held onto him through his father's speech to the staff. August whispered, "I'm sorry – I thought she would make us happy."

Zeref stared at himself in the mirror, he noticed the paleness of his skin and the dark circles under his eyes as if the life had been drained from him, "I don't blame you. I should had foreseen her motives; you just wanted a mother and I can't blame you for that…in some way I wanted her to be that for you too."

August hugged Zeref tighter, "Why did she hurt you?" August's mind played out scrabbled memories to answer his own question, but he wanted to hear what his father had to say.

Zeref gazed down at the toddler and sighed, "I'm sure the memories are telling you what I've done to her."

August whispered, "I want to hear it from you."

Zeref stared at himself in the mirror, he loathed himself for being so naïve in Mavis's condition. He was so sure about his control of her, but she was able to sneak past his defensives and equipped herself the information she needed to analyze him, to break down her understanding as to why he hated her. Her mentality was set on appeasing him – to understand him, but now she was fully aware of the advantage she had over him. He hated how she had the ability to kill him, if she had this in the other world the day she died, all of these theatrics would had been avoided. She almost succeeded in killing him, he remembered how his heart hurt and how light his head felt. He won't allow death to come to him, he had lived for this long and a girl he despised won't be his undoing.

Zeref noticed August was still waiting for him to tell him, at this point he felt August would find a way to hate him one way or another… so he told him, "In a way I had wronged your mother. I used to walk in a world similar to this one, in this world I had loved your mother, but I was plagued by a curse that I could not control, and it killed her. I grew angry for she had the same curse I had, yet she died, and I lived, a century had passed and I learned that Precht had enchanted her body with eminence magic that could make anything come true. I desired to be mortal again, I just wanted to go back but your mother persuaded me to come back to the time I had met her. I did what she asked, the world we are living in now was caused by going back to the time she wanted me to come to, the other world was erased once this one was created…"

August felt the memories becoming clear to him as he listened to his father, he saw the war, he saw his death, the pain and sorrow. He seen the chaos of Acnologia, he heard the promises that were made as Zeref blankly told August his deeds. All the memories made sense now, the similar memories that had different emotions that were tied to them it was everything: this world and the other world. His mother's request made sense to him after his father described this power he had obtained to come to this world.

"Why do you hate mom so much? Even before she hurt me when I was a baby…in the memories I felt your hatred." August responded his eyes looked far away as he gazed into the memories.

Zeref gazed away staring outside the window, "You know why, I see it in your eyes."

"I died." August responded.

Zeref nods, "You died because of her. You were powerful, we were winning the war and seeing her broke you – I didn't know you were our child and you were so desperate for our love. You died and I couldn't protect you." Zeref glanced at the child noticing he wasn't talking to a toddler but the knowing persona of memories within him, "I came back to this time, to raise you like it should had been. To protect you and teach you… I'm sorry I've caused you so much misfortune. I just wanted a better life for you."

August frowns hearing the hurt in his father's voice he glanced up seeing Zeref's indifferent face, "I don't hate you." August pushed away the memories, he felt an older presence within him clearing the chaos of his mind away.

Zeref's expressionless face broke as his face fell, tears stream down his face. August felt unsettled seeing his father cry. He never seen him cry in person, only in memories and it was a rare occasion. Zeref clutched August closer to his chest, the relief escaped him through tears. He never had felt so relieved, "You forgive me?"

August clutched Zeref's chest, "You wanted to find a way to be happy…" Zeref's tears fell onto August's head.

Zeref narrowed his eyes letting the last tears to fall away, "Your mother gained memories from you to use against me. She learned how to love, and she is trying to use that power to kill me. I will not let her; I will raise you and I will overpower her."

August's eyes fell, "Will there be a war?"

Zeref froze hearing the fear in his voice, he didn't want another war to befall on August especially against Mavis – not again. "I will not make history repeat itself. My priority is set on Acnologia for now, for there won't be a future until he is gone."

The Apocalyptic Dragon, the one and only creature that would truly make this world useless if history was to repeat itself with the dragon ultimately being the last thing to survive the ashes of war. Zeref didn't want to gamble using Fairy Heart against the King of the Dragons – he didn't want to become a pathetic object to amuse Acnologia. No for Zeref was the infamous Black Wizard and he will not be degraded to a slave for that sadistic creature, a plaything that would always be mended back together for his amusement.

Zeref felt himself grew dark at a world that would be a wasteland, he hated that he was cursed to walk as a reaper for all eternity, but Acnologia was only cursed to become the creature he hated and he grew stronger and caused havoc to all reaches of this world – and Ankhseram did nothing to protect his precious world. Zeref sneers, I understand, Ankhseram, you allowed Acnologia to cause havoc in hopes for me to be his plaything for eternity. Did it anger you that I eradicated your world and did not fall victim to Acnologia? Try to rid me, I dare you. Your feeble attempts with Mavis will not work. I will make this world a paradise and I will be rid of your Apocalypse.

"Dad?" August asked noticing the sinister gaze Zeref held as he stared at the mirror.

Zeref's eyes fell onto the nervous child and he smirked slightly, "Don't worry, I am in control of this world and I will conquer the obstacles Ankhseram had set out to stop me."

August shrunk into Zeref, "Aren't you worried?"

Zeref smirked, "No, I had played his game for too long, its time he feared me."

August gazed at his father's smirk, there a hint of certainty in that smile and August hugged Zeref harder, behind that smile August saw a true smile breaking through. Zeref carried August towards the bed, "Try to sleep, tomorrow will be a busy day."

August frowns as Zeref tucked him in, "You aren't sleeping?"

Zeref smirked slightly hearing the concern in his little voice, "I had slept for too long in my life, to be honestly I never really needed to…it just passed the time."

August clutched onto Zeref's wrist as his father moved away, Zeref frowns seeing August's worried gaze as his son replied, "Can you wait until I fall asleep?"

Zeref frowns more, he obligated his son's wish and leaned onto the bed as August huddled to his side. He patted his back softly, Zeref watched him as his son wrapped an arm over Zeref's stomach and closed his eyes. Zeref hummed gazing off, he was unsettled by the concern his son and his people had for him – as if he was this helpless creature that needed protection. He never would have thought he hated this feeling to be seen and feel vulnerable, for he had always been feared or respected, but Mavis caused people to feel worried about him. Zeref narrowed his eyes, to be frank he wanted to show his people he wasn't this fragile creature as well as prepare for the future of this Empire. His mind ran through the damage Mavis might had caused.

August had to be traumatized, Zeref glared at the cuts and bruises that scattered his son's arms. He wanted to minimize the damaged the memories would have caused by aiding August with techniques to calm his mind, but Mavis succeeded in breaking that door down and August seem to be falling in between present and past too frequently tonight. He scowls at the statement Mavis had said to him with allowing him to have more time with his son. He clenched his jaw, She's too confident in herself, I have centuries over her. Ankhseram failed to be rid of me once, and the attempt to have Mavis on his playing field will not change the outcome.

Zeref stared at the mirror seeing the sinister red eyes that stared back at him, Zeref sneered at his reflection, I suppose it's time to see how strong my ties are to this world, if these people are as loyal as they were in the old world. Zeref ran his hand through August's hair, Don't worry I'm sure the people adore you… If it is needed, I would have to have the opposite reaction from them to protect you…

Zeref informed his staff of his concerns for the future, he wanted the best for his country, and he had thanked them for the kindness they had shown to him and his son. The knowledge of Acnologia shook the staff, horrified of a creature with that much destruction could exist. He wanted to prepare them of the reality that could happen if they aren't prepared.

His magic users within his staff were the most optimistic, they were confident in his teachings and promised to study harder in the magic he deemed as beneficial to go against this powerful creature. Zeref smirked at their youthfulness, the positivity they had in his past teaching to aid their technique in their magic was comforting.

Zeref set out to the guilds, he was prepared to create a branch solely with mages that were powerful and that already possess magic that could possibly be effective to Acnologia. So far, he was pleased by the structure of the guilds he had visited, he smirked the Fiore guilds were so much more inferior compared to his country's guilds.

The southern guilds were impressive, many of the mages were powerful with a few key members that had potential with more training to hone their skills that looked promising against Acnologia. Zeref decided to visit the northern guilds before venturing the western and eastern ones. He was sure there would be promising ice wizards, Invel would be from this region and he was sure there will be wizards with similar traits to Zeref's to-be chief of staff.

Zeref pushed open the doors, his eyes fell on the silent hall, the mages stared at him as he walked into their hall. Zeref smirked at them slightly, "Ah, where might your Guild Master Douma may be? He should be expecting me."

Zeref tilt his head seeing the nervous and unedged members, his eyes flickered to the sound of laughter from the balcony. The man with silver hair's laughter boomed through the guild hall, Zeref's eyes shined, "There you are Douma."

"Ah and here you are your Majesty." The man grinned down at Zeref, Zeref frowns hearing the mockery in his voice.

"You are aware of why I am visiting, yes?" Zeref asked gazing up at the smiling fool.

Douma crossed his arms, "And I decline. You aren't taking any of my wizards – why should I give away my members to a false immortal? Why should I follow your orders? You claim to be the most powerful and crown yourself ruler above us all and yet I hear you can so easily be defeated?"

Zeref narrowed his eyes, "Don't underestimate me Douma. I had created this Empire; I governed this country even before your father was named guild master and I had brought peace between the guilds. Do not test me."

Douma laughed, "Perhaps you do not age, but I will not be ruled by a pathetic man that hides behind his castle walls."

Zeref's face remained neutral he gazed at the members noticing the uncomfortable gazes, "Do you all follow the same mindset as your guildmaster?"

A few gazed down unable to meet his gaze, while others stared at him with the same defiance as Douma. Zeref's eyes fell back on Douma seeing the sneer on the man's face, "Perhaps I had become too lenient…" His blood red eyes smirked, "I must remind you why your elders bestowed me Emperor."

Sometimes you have to get loyalty from terror...

A/N: A heads up, I'm going to change the setting back to T to see if more people are able to find this story. Also expect some delay for the next chapter since I am going to be really busy next week with work and hopefully I can write down some ideas that creates the next chapter.

As always I would love some feedback, it helps whenever I get writer's block. I take note what you all love and what you are curious to see which helps ideas to flow through and poof new chapters! So please review!

Special thanks to Guest8383839! I look forward to reading your review every chapter :) I really appreciate your enjoyment in this story! The war between Zeref and Mavis is just the beginning! And it really depends how one views on who's the real villain because both of them have their justifications...

There will be more conflicts in the future so stay tune! :)