Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail and/or Akame Ga Kill. They belong to their original owners.

The Assassins of Fairy Tail

Job Forty Three: Akame's Final Dawn

Irene was standing close to the edge of a tall cliff overlooking a vast forest. She'd been standing in the same spot for quite a while now thinking. Thinking about what the king had said about his daughter. Something about that had irked her to no end. And the worst part about it was that it was getting to her. "A parent loving their child..." That thought had brought back memories she had long forgotten and would like to forget again. Memories of her carrying a small scarlet haired baby. Her eyes darkened and gripped her staff tightly at the mere thought of the memory. "I have not thought of her in a long time. Why am I remembering her now?" Irene needed something to distract herself. Something that would dash these thoughts away. "Perhaps I should find the one responsible who defeated Juliet and Heine. I'll teach them quite the lesson they'll never forget."

"Irene."

It wasn't often Irene was taken by surprise and turned around to see August with Brandish. She smiled at the other Spriggan members. "It's so nice to see you again after so long, Lord August. And Brandish is with you as well? You've grown so big, I hardly recognize you."

Brandish just gave Irene a sheepish nod toward her. "Hello."

This small reunion was anything but happy to August. "You went and used Universe one with his Majesty's permission, I see."

Irene wasn't going to deny that and she had a good reason to do so. At least to her. "Indeed. With Acnologia staring me in the face, I'm afraid even I had little choice but to take drastic measures." She gave a pleased smile to August. "That said, I not only successfully drove him away for the time being, but I managed to his Majesty straight to Fairy Tail while I was at it. You have no grounds on which to criticize or reprimand me, wouldn't you say?"

August admitted he couldn't argue against that. "For now, the Twelve shall gather and convene at his Majesty's side."

The other Shield closed her eyes as she just scoffed at August's words. "Well, I don't want to! I'll move as I like, and that's that!"

August became slightly enraged with how Irene acted and would disobey his order. He gave the Scarlett Despair a stern glare. "This is my decision as the General of the Spriggan Twelve. There will be no compromises." Irene opened her eyes and the two strongest members stared intensely at each other. Brandish gulped nervously as she could feel the magic of the two crashing into each other. If they ever decided to fight, she couldn't tell who'd win, but the battle would be beyond catastrophic.

Irene closed her eyes again and smiled while grabbing the edge of her hat lightly. "So be it. I'll let you save face. On this occasion." She opened her eyes. "Shall we be off then?"

B

"Big sister Sorano..." Yukino thought she was dreaming when she was seeing her older sister once again. It still felt like a dream to her, but here was Sorano standing before her.

"Yukino..." Sorano stared at Yukino in disbelief for several seconds before glancing away from her.

Elfman, Lector, and Frosch still had no idea what was going on. "What the hell is that all about?!"

"I have no clue!"

"Fro too!"

There was silence between the two sisters until Sorano finally broke it. "I...have no little sister."

Yukino thought she'd heard her sister wrong for a second. She didn't know why her sister would deny having a sibling. She was clearly Sorano's sister and Sorano was her older sister. "But, you are certainly-"

"I have no idea what you." Sorano interrupted. "You must be mistaken me for someone else."

Yukino gritted her teeth as a response. There was no way she could mistake her sister for someone else. "No, Haven't! You are Sorano, my big sister!" Tears started to form in the corner of her eyes. "I...I've been searching for you for all these years! Ever since you were taken away from me by those terrible people when we were little! You, my one and only sister, for the sole purpose of taking you back, I even went so far as to attempt to turn back time!" She heard no response from her older sister as she refused to look Yukino in the eye and she started to cry softly. "No matter...no matter what happened, you always protected me, and I loved you more than anything! I..."

Sorano turned around to not face Yukino anymore. "Like I said, you've got the wrong person."

Yukino's hands closed tightly and were becoming frustrated by her sister's words. "Why are you saying such cruel things?!"

"You don't have an evil felon for a sister." Yukino's frustration quickly faded when she heard those words from her sister and was replaced by curiosity. She saw her sister close her hands tightly this time. "My little sister has been living her life as a proper, decent human being! She can't get mixed up with an elder sister who's committed so many unforgivable crimes! That's why...that's why someday..." Tears rolled down Sorano's cheeks. "If all my sins are ever atoned for, I'll come back and give my little sister the biggest hug in the world!" She quietly cried as she managed to convey her feelings toward her younger sister.

"That day will definitely come if she waits patiently, right?" Yukino asked with some hope in her voice.

"I'm fighting every day to make sure that it does!" The tears kept rolling down Sorano's eyes "That's why...she wouldn't be able to forgive me as I am now."

This may not have been the reunion Yukino dreamed of, but it was still fulfilling in seeing her sister after so long. To her, she didn't care what Sorano had done in the past, she'd always be her elder sister. She wiped the tears from one of her eyes and smiled. "Just knowing she's out there alive...is enough for me."

Lector was overcome with emotion and couldn't help but cry. "Sisterly love is a wondrous thing, isn't it?"

"But she said she had the wrong person..." Frosch added.

That was to be expected and Lector was accepting of that. "It's okay, you don't have to learn how to read between the lines, Frosch."

"Fro thinks so too!"

Elfman looked up at the night sky and thought about his own siblings while being slightly worried about them. "Mira...Lisanna, stay safe."

B

In a rocky location with a waterfall and a wooden bridge right next to it, Dimaria was struggling to flee from her captors as she was crawling on the bridge floor. She didn't get far when a couple of guild members caught with her. "There she is!"

"We won't let you get away, wench!"

Dimaria breathed heavily as she clacked her teeth in hopes to use her magic, but to no avail due to her wrists still being bound by the magic sealing cuffs. One of the members grabbed her by the ankle. "You're an indispensable prisoner!"

"If you got away, we'd never hear the end of it from Obaba!"

They were about to drag Dimaria back when something strange overcame the both of them. A white light appeared around their bodies and glowed while they moaned in delight. "What is this...ahhh."

"It feels...so good!"

They both screamed in satisfaction as the white light surrounding them flew into the sky before dropping to the floor. Behind them stood a figure who was the one responsible for using his magic on them. "Let the pure white souls ascent to the heavens, and be free." He smiled gently at Dimaria. "I've come for you, Dimaria."

All Dimaria could do was stare at the figure standing before her. Out of all the people to run into, he was the least she expected to find her. "Larcade." She could've sworn she saw a bright light coming from behind Larcade as he continued to smile at her. "Larcade Dragneel!"

B

Zeref smiled at Mavis while Mavis was glaring back at him. Seeing Mavis again after so long was quite nostalgic for him. "It's been one hundred years since we last met like this."

"Ninety-five years, to be more precise." Mavis corrected.

Zeref chuckled lightly at that specific fact. "I could still feel your voice, even your very being that entire time."

Mavis didn't say anything back. In hindsight, Zeref appearing in front of her was a good thing. Maybe. "In order to defeat Zeref once and for all, I have one final plan in place. The first condition for that plan was my body. I needed my true body, no matter what. And the other condition, although plausible in theory, will prove rather difficult." Her thoughts were interrupted when she felt a sudden chill around her body. The next thing Mavis knew, she was completely frozen solid.

Zeref knew whose doing it was and looked off to the side. "Cease this at once, Invel."

Invel had a very good reason for doing what he did to Mavis. Especially since Zeref was so close to Mavis now. "Your Majesty, although I do sympathize with your relationship with that girl, she is the embodiment of Fairy Heart itself. If, by the chance, she were to turn that magic power against us..."

Zeref understood Invel's concerns, but he wasn't worried about the power that dwelled within Mavis's body. "Mavis understands better than anyone that Fairy Heart is a spell which absolutely mustn't be used under any circumstances. Even if it was for the sake of killing me, she wouldn't dare activate it."

Even with his Majesty's logic, Invel was still doubtful. "Your Majesty..."

Zeref did feel some slight sympathy for Mavis in the state Invel put her in. "Mavis was trapped inside a crystal for an eternity, unable to move a single muscle in her body. Stealing her freedom once again, after she had finally been freed, it pains my heart." Invel remained silent at his Majesty's plea. "Invel..."

Invel slightly lowered his head and lightly huffed. "It shall be done."

The Winter General broke his freezing spell on Mavis and she was free, albeit panting a little and felt cold. That relief didn't last long as an ice collar and chain appeared around her neck. "What is this!"

Invel was still not taking any chances with Mavis. He was just taking a different approach. "I shall refrain from binding your body. Thus, I have instead taken the liberty of binding your mind."

Mavis felt strange the moment the ice collar was shackled around her neck. Her mind felt like it was becoming blank. "What...What's happening? My very thoughts are...being snatched away?! No, I must retain my composure!"

This new restraint was acceptable to Zeref, but he thought it was still a little too much for him. "I suppose I must settle for this. You always have been overly prone to worrying, haven't you Invel?"

Invel gave a small humph at his Majesty's words. "Given my position as the emissary of Alverez, I see it as a completely rational decision."

While they were talking, Mavis could feel her mind slipping away from her. The feeling was terrifying to her. "I can't...form one rational thought. Just what...sort of magic...is this?!"

Zeref turned around and glanced over in Mavis's direction while continuing to smile at her. "Mavis, could you please follow me?" He began walking toward the guild's doors.

Mavis followed him, but not of her own will. "My body is moving on its own..."

Both went outside the guild and Mavis saw that it was located in some barren, rocky location. They arrived at what seemed to be the edge. It was something Zeref was eagerly waiting to show her. "Behold."

Mavis looked at what was laid before her and gasped in shock. "This...can't be..." She quickly discovered that the guild must be sitting on top of a tall, rocky structure with ruined houses scattered and embedded into it. And what laid before that was the main army of Alverez. They blanketed the whole area below as far as she could see.

It was also quite the sight for Zeref as well. "Your comrades are currently making their way here in order to take you back and the guild. I do wonder, will they be able to break through our defenses? I can't wait to find out."

"NOT A CHANCE IN HELL!" Mavis looked off to the side and saw two figures standing next to each other. "Not as long as Ajeel the Great is here standing in their way!"

Spriggan Twelve Member, The Desert King: Ajeel Raml

"That so, big shot? I seem to recall you losing quite pathetically."

Spriggan Twelve Member, The Assassin: Jacob Lessio

"Look who's talking, asshole!" Ajeel had an extremely sinister and determined expression. "That fluke ain't going to happen again."

Jacob shared the feeling. "Naturally."

Dimaria and Brandish finally saw each other again after so long. "Randi..."

"Mari..."

Spriggan Twelve Member, The Valkyrie: Dimaria Yesta

Spriggan Twelve Member, The Nation Destroyer: Brandish μ

Dimaria walked up to Brandish. "I'd heard you were captured. They didn't do anything horrible to you, did they?"

What was surprising and confusing at the same time to Brandish was seeing the clear worry in Dimaria's eyes. "N...No..."

Brandish was caught off guard when Dimaria hugged her tightly. "I was so worried. I was afraid of what they could've done to you." She hugged Brandish closer to her. "I love you, Randi, and I'll make sure they'll pay those fiends back tenfold for laying their hands on you." Brandish had never seen Dimaria act this way before. She wondered what happened to Dimaria for her to act this way.

Larcade smiled sweetly at the sight of the two of them before him. "Love is one of the world's greatest beauties, wouldn't you say?" He spoke to August.

Spriggan Twelve Member, The White Dragneel: Larcade Dragneel

August said nothing and all he did was give Larcade a deathly glare at him.

Spriggan Twelve Member and leader, The Wizard King: August

Even Larcade felt a little unnerved at the way he was being looked at. "Lord August is quite fond of giving me dirty looks."

Invel walked up behind him. "Can you blame him? You always fail to attend our meetings, so it shouldn't come as a big shock."

Spriggan Twelve Member, The Winter General: Invel Yura

Mavis was frightened at the mere sight of August and his magic power felt completely unreal to her. "That is the mage called the strongest of them all, August. Not to mention..." She turned her attention to Larcade and felt something strange coming from him. "That person's magic...what on Earthland...just what nature of magic is that?"

"Larcade is my proverbial secret weapon." Mavis turned to Zeref. "You see, he has the potential to defeat even Acnologia, given his vast abilities."

Neinhart appeared quite tired after what he had to do. "Conjuring three Spriggan Twelve members worth of Historia takes its toll on me, I must admit."

Spriggan Twelve Member, The Historia Collector: Neinhart

As he said, the three fallen Spriggan Twelve members had returned. "I see. So, I have returned from the depths of the underworld."

Spriggan Twelve Member, The Grim Reaper: Bloodman

"Well, well, would you look at this. The Twelve have finally gathered together!" Wahl cackled crazily.

Spriggan Twelve Member, The Adjudicator: Wahl Icht

Meanwhile, God Serena was performing exaggerated movements to get a feel of his body again and struck a pose. "God Serena of the Eight Dragons has been resurrected!"

Spriggan Twelve Member, The Hybrid Theory: God Serena

Neinhart looked at all three of them with a disgruntled expression. "I'd like to remind you three that you're already long dead. I'd advise you to protect me diligently, lest you disappear from the living world, permanently."

God Serena pointed at him and smiled confidently. "Just leave it to godly me!"

Irene walked to Zeref from behind and was impressed at the sight. "One million soldiers, the Twelve all reunited, truly a sight to behold."

Spriggan Twelve Member, The Scarlet Despair: Irene Belserion

Mavis was completely flabbergasted by the woman's magic power. She didn't think someone could be on the same level as August himself. "What...is this obscene magic power?"

Zeref was glad to see Irene again after so long, despite her using her magic without his permission. "As for the matter of your activation of Universe One, Irene, I won't pry. In fact, you've done well. You have my praise."

Irene chuckled as she felt quite flattered by her Majesty's unexpected praise. "Oh my. And here I was prepared for some sort of punishment. I'm a little disappointed."

Now that Irene was here, Zeref had everything he needed to retrieve the Fairy Heart. "What I would have you do for me now is an isolation enchantment."

Irene had no problem following Zeref's order and knew who to use it on. "Your wish is my command. So, I simply have to remove the Fairy Heart from inside that cute little girl, is that right?" She looked over toward the First Master. "This will likely take some time, but, yes, you can leave the task in my capable hands."

Mavis became deeply afraid of what she heard. "What? She cannot possibly do such a..."

Zeref was more than confident Irene could successfully accomplish her task. "As luck would have it, Irene is prodigious when it comes to attaching and removing magic from objects."

Mavis's terror intensified from that moment on. "This...cannot be!"

The emperor took a step back and felt confident with his current setup. He was more than prepared for the upcoming final battle against Fairy Tail. "I have now assembled a perfect, impenetrable battle formation. Do you still dare to come here, Fairy Tail?" All members of the Spriggan Twelve stood behind him and were ready for the battle ahead. "I shall not let you see tomorrow."

Far away from the structure where the guild laid on top, Akame oversaw the entire area from the other side of a small hill. Akame had to admit seeing such a massive army laid out before her and the others were unnerving to her. And that wasn't the only thing that made her wary. "An army like no other stands in between us and the guild. And from what aura I'm sensing, nine of the Spriggan Twelve are also there as well." Akame gave out a shaky breath. "This...could be it." She looked back at Natsu and the others who're laying on the ground sleeping. Akame had also slept for a bit and woke up before them. She envied how peaceful they looked sleeping before waking up and fighting the largest battle of their lives. Akame looked back at the tremendous sight of the army. Not long after, she noticed the sun rising over the horizon. She smiled sadly at the sight of it. "I've forgotten that it's been a whole day. In fact, I believe it's been two whole days since this war started. It feels like this has been a lot longer than that." Akame gave a deep sigh and forced to steel herself. "This could be...the final dawn any of us will see again."

"Final dawn? Not if I have anything to say about it." Akame was surprised to hear Natsu's voice and looked back again to see Natsu waking up. "We're going to bust in there and take back our guild!" The others work up and all had the same determined expression as Natsu. "We'll see a new tomorrow, no matter what!"

A/N: Ladies and gentlemen, everyone, welcome to the end of the first half of the story.