Silence embraced the shore of the lake as the echo of Zeref's words still vibrated through the cool evening air. Luna, Natsu and Natherious were speechless about what had just transpired. Their minds tried to progress the weight of what Zeref had screamed to the heavens moments ago, but no matter how much the cogwheels inside their heads turned, they were unable to make any sense of Zeref's words.
Why was he thinking something so terrible? What could possibly be the reason why Zeref believed that he wasn't related to the rest of his family by blood? Questions over questions filled their minds as they tried to put the pieces together. However, all three failed miserably no matter how hard they tried. For them, Zeref's claim was lunacy incarnated, but his weeping sobs and gurgles of sadness told another story.
Luna and Natherious were thrown into an emotional turmoil, their bodies frozen as they tried to single out the one fatal overlook that had sneaked past them unnoticed and led to this nightmare come true. Their youngest son had other plans though as it was too much for him to take. Onyx green had become scarlet crimson already but now Natsu's eyes flared in rage over his beloved brother's words.
How could he!? After the vow, they had made to each other prior this day? Natsu fumed like a raging wildfire and his anger brought forth the darkest of all his actions. The youngest Dragneel clenched his fist as tight as he could and marched towards his older brother. The short distance melted away in front of his heated engagement and when Zeref was within his reach, Natsu's fist cut through the air until it landed home and made contact with Zeref's cheek – hard.
The smacking sound replaced the raven-haired boy's wines of emotional torture, his cheek giving in to the small fist. Unprepared for the sudden and surprisingly strong strike, Zeref landed on his behind, barely able to comprehend what was washing over him. A moment later, he was pushed down on his back entirely as Natsu had jumped on him. It was hard to believe that his sweet little brother could actually punch him like that and Zeref refused this to be the truth.
His resolve was shattered into a billion pieces when Natsu lunged at him again, hitting the same spot as he did before. Then the pink-haired boy lifted his other fist into the air before it came down and before long, it felt like a heavy onslaught of fists was raining down on him. Each punch hurt, physically and mentally, but it was him who was on the receiving end. So why was it Natsu who cried limitless tears? Zeref felt how they dripped on his face every time Natsu punched him and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't make sense of his younger brother's actions
He had just revealed what has haunted him for such a long time, so why was he punished even more than he already was? Zeref lacked the wisdom to see the whole picture at the moment, and honestly, he didn't even care anymore. His soul was raw and naked for everyone to see, his brain dethroned and replaced by his emotions. Therefore, before he understood what he was doing himself, his own fist had clenched as hard as possible before it aimed for Natsu's face and landed a ferocious strike. Yet, it was not enough to stop the younger boy's assault on him. If anything he became only fiercer by Zeref's resistance.
In the passage of mere seconds, the two brothers had lost themselves in a battle unlike any other they had before. Those fights had been playful, not more than a brotherly brawl, but their current fight was something entirely different. It was serious, the intent to hurt impregnating the atmosphere around them. They rolled across the floor, punching and kicking at each other, the person on top constantly changing between them. Zeref was older by three years than Natsu, so he had the advantage in size, weight and strength. But Natsu was like a feral little dragon and thus, more than able to counter his older brother. The two youngest members of the Dragneel household would have probably continued for who knew how long, but they came to an abrupt halt.
Both of them were mid-punch when Zeref was suddenly grabbed by the back of his garb. The same applied to Natsu only in his case it was the front of his robes. A moment later they were thrown in the air before they were back in the clutches of the lake, the cold water embracing them once more. At least, that was how it felt like when a booming voice washed over them.
"Enough!"
A single word accompanied by millions of lightning bolts in the sky above them stopped their actions as they jumped apart from each other, the order hiding within the single word more than evident to them. Their anger and rage were buried by the growling thunder that followed only a moment later, leaving nothing behind but the realisation of what they had done. Immediately regret invaded their hearts and souls about what they had done to each other. At the same time, they looked at each other for the briefest of seconds only to avert their gaze elsewhere, too ashamed of themselves too.
Instead, they looked to their parents. Their mother was shocked about what had transpired in less than a minute, though neither of them could say for certain what kind of shock was the one who delivered the biggest impact. However, they couldn't dwell too long on it because their father demanded their attention. Natherious Dragneel had risen from his crouched posture and was now standing at his full size of two metres, his massive arms crossed in front of his chest.
For a moment Zeref and Natsu thought they were seeing some kind of aura dancing around his colossal frame, but they didn't have the time to think long about it. Their father glared at them and for the first time in their lives, the two boys experienced that their father could be so much more than the dorky idiot they admired and loved so much. He was always kind, smart, goofy at times and even more loveable. But now nothing of that caring persona remained and even Luna seemed to have no idea of what would happen next.
They felt dwarfed in his powerful presence as he closed the distance between them until he was standing right in front of him. Again he crouched down to their level but even then they still felt like midgets.
"Natsu."
Again, only one word was said but the demand behind was as clear as day and the pink-haired boy did not dare to defy his father. He never did but now even less than that. Step after step he took until he stood in front of his father, ready to get the worst scolding he had ever had. But his father surprised him as he placed one of his large hands on top of his head and ruffled through his pink locks.
"Natsu, I can understand why you did what you have done, but, in fact, I know that you know that that was not the right thing to do, am I false?" The youngest Dragneel had certainty not figured his scolding would be only so brief.
Therefore, when Natsu finally looked at his father, he didn't expect to find a comforting, gentle expression on the tall man's face. He had put everything that was running through the young boy's heart into words just the right way. So Natsu only nodded in response to the truth that was voiced to him. He had no idea why he had attacked his beloved older brother, but he regretted it the moment his brain started to work again and he hoped they could overcome this event soon enough. Nothing would be worse than Zeref not loving him anymore!
Meanwhile, after Natherious had seen that Natsu realised his wrongdoings and had internalized the lesson coming alongside, he shifted his attention to his oldest son. In Natsu's case, it was relatively simple to put everything back together. Simply making him remember just how much he loved his older brother was more than enough to prevent anything like this from happening ever again. The boy had acted on his hurt emotion, caused by the lunacy Zeref had spouted and Natherious couldn't deny that he himself was sitting in the same boat. Being their father, it caused him emotional torture to see his boys like this, fighting each other seriously. He knew that Luna was feeling the same even when left unsaid.
Luckily, he had been successful in separating them before anything bad could happen. They looked a bit roughed up with very mild bruises forming on their faces, nothing that would last through the night. Yet, the problem around Zeref remained unsolved and Natherious had honestly no idea where he should start. He had a clue though, something that had gnawed on his insides for a long time and maybe it was time to address the topic once more.
Thus, he faced Zeref who did not dare to lift his gaze from the ground, hands clenched into fists at his sides and his lips quivering. He was about to cry, that much was obvious and Natherious loathed the sight, more than anything else. Before his son could spiral deeper into the depths of despair, the tall man addressed him, hoping his wild guess would be correct.
"Zeref, you once told me that something was bugging you," he began, taking in how all trembles of the small body of his son haltered immediately at his words. "And now you mentioned that you believe to not be related to any of us by blood... Is this what has been haunting you all this time, my son?"
The question laid heavy in the air, the epitome of how many emotions were connected to it. Zeref mulled over it, trying to figure out whether he should confirm the truth or deny and fabricate a lie, one that his father and mother would see through easily. He might be able to fool his younger brother or at least distract him, but not his parents. They would know. Therefore, he admitted what he had proclaimed with a struggled noise he had to force out of his throat, afraid of what would happen in the moments to come, his mind already fabricating the worst imaginable nightmares. However, he should have known that even the wildest fantasies couldn't prepare him, for what was to come.
At first, it was only a suppressed snort that escaped his father's mouth before it turned into a bellow of laughter. Zeref did not understand the world anymore. Why was his dad laughing out of a sudden? Whatever the reason was, it went beyond Zeref's level of comprehension, but that was simply the type of man Natherious Dragneel was. He was unmeasurable and always did the most unexpected of all things, with a reasoning that couldn't be understood easily.
A soft motion with his fingers was all it took for his dad to lure Zeref to him, not on the boy's own will because he would have refused, given the current circumstances. Zeref stumbled forward, surprised at the sudden pull that had taken control of his body. He could feel it but did not see anything. For an unknown reason, it also happened at the exact same moment when his father motioned for him to come closer. Was there a connection between the two events? And if yes how was this possible in the first place? What had his dad for an ability he had been unaware of for all this time?
The more he thought, the more questions buzzed inside his mind, each of them a loose end with no plausible answer in sight and reach. Yet, Zeref had only scarce time to mull over all the unclearness because his feet had already been dragged right in front of his father. Even when the ending of the tall man's laughter was still vibrating inside the air, Zeref feared punishment or a scolding he had never seen before, but everything came differently when his dad placed his free hand on top of his head and started to tousle his midnight hair in similar motions as he did with Natsu.
"Zeref, have I ever told you that you're way too cute and adorable for your own good?" Natherious cooed in soft hues, gazing with loving warmth at his son. A second later Zeref's cheeks flared crimson red and his eyes widened. His ears mimicked the sudden change in colour as he was completely dumbstruck at the sudden declaration, but his dad was far from finished. That much could the young boy tell from the comforting smile that appeared on his father's mouth.
"To clarify your biggest concern, you are our son. That's a given fact. Through your body flows the same blood that's inside of your mother's and mine bodies," Natherious said. Immediately, Zeref's eyes searched for his mom, needing the confirmation from her which she gladly gave. She smiled at him, with closed eyes and a beaming grin on her face as her head was nudged slightly sideways. The raven-haired boy didn't need to hear any words from her because his mother's aura radiated nothing but the truth and he had no reason to doubt it for even a moment.
"And even if you weren't related to us by blood, you would still be our son because family is not decided by blood, Zeref." the tall man explained, effectively catching his son's attention again. Zeref looked confused, not understanding the meaning the words of his father carried. If a family was independent of blood, how else would it be decided? The question formed inside the young boy's head and was about to be asked, but the wise man in front of him beat Zeref to it and granted the answer before the question itself.
Natherious poked the middle of Zeref's chest, right in the spot where his heart steadily beat, twice with his pointer finger before he shared the solution for all of his son's loose ends. "Family is decided right here," he said and tapped the same spot for a third time, cementing what he meant into Zeref's mind. "For instance, your mother and I share not the same blood, but she's still my family because I love her with all my heart," he continued before he paused for a moment, allowing Zeref to take in what he was saying.
Said boy looked in utter awe at his father. All the despair and dread that had been trashing in his insides causing a terrific turmoil were long forgotten already, leaving behind not even a trace of them. He had wondered why his father had laughed, but now he understood or so he thought. It would probably take a little bit longer to fully sink in, probably when he was back in his bed with his little brother snuggled up close to him.
Years of suffering faded away from his consciousness with every passing second, the simplicity of the answer was an all-encompassing feeling that drowned out everything that could have bothered him any further. Zeref understood the meaning of what his dad had said and he could accept and agree with the wisdom the words held. Even if he couldn't be Natsu's older brother by blood, his heart would always consider himself as the brother of the pink-haired ball of energy, even when it would be a one-sided feeling. But his dad had also said that they were indeed related even though Zeref couldn't see it, so that problem was also solved because he trusted his father more than anyone else.
"Is everything okay now?" Natherious asked softly, hoping that he had been able to clear all confusion from Zeref's mind for the moment. In response, the boy opened his mouth but only a squeak came out, too many emotions were dragging his words down. So he nodded instead, trying to fight back the tears of happiness that were threatening to fall down his cheeks at any moment.
He would have lost that battle, but when Natherious suddenly showed his toothy smile, its golden radiance banished all tears and Zeref could only answer with a smile on his own. A sudden pull on his right side accompanied by the sounds of giggling immediately caused his arm to wind around Natsu's body who was hugging him now, an embrace Zeref all too eagerly returned, mumbling apologies to his little brother for what had happened. Luna watched from behind her husband at the scene, glad and relieved that her beloved demon was able to eradicate the madness Zeref had spouted.
All members of the Dragneel family lost themselves in the bubble of love they had created. None of them cared how long they remained as they did, but eventually, Zeref and Natsu pulled away from each other, facing their dad again with smiles still on their faces.
Just like his wife, Natherious was beyond happy that everything turned out alright, but still. He never wanted to see how his sons indulged in a serious fight ever again. If they would do, he would join in the next time. Not anything he desired to do, but he knew his sons, so he had to take some precautions to prevent it from happening in the first place.
"Zeref, Natsu," the tall man began, addressing his sons with slight sternness which they picked up immediately. "I'm certain both of you know very well that beating each other up is not the way to go. Neither your mom nor I want to see something like that ever again. You can brawl with each other as long and as much as you want, but don't fight," he lectured.
Both of the boys had stiffened visibly, not keen on getting educated by their dad because their mom was already too much to handle. That's probably why he always acted in the background or when he had to. They appreciated that a lot about their dad, but also understood why he was teaching both of them now. Both of them regretted what they had done to each other and were just about to say as much, but their father was faster.
He had lifted both of his hands to the same height of their ear, pointer fingers put under pressure by his thumbs, ready to snap forward at any given moment. "Here's a little taste of what you can expect of what I will do if you two were to do that again," he threatened, his voice nothing more than a low dangerous whisper.
Zeref and Natsu snapped their eyes open just in time to see what was about to happen, but it was already far too late to run away from their impending fate. All applied pressure vanished and their dad's fingers snapped forward, landing a devastating hit on their earlobes. The tall man saw how the shudder started at the tips of their hair and ventured downwards until it reached their toes, only to turn back and start its journey anew.
A second later both had grabbed their throbbing earlobes in an attempt to soothe away the nasty pain that was way too similar to stubbing one's little toe on an annoying edge of some furniture. No damage, but therefore so much more pain. Both began to bounce from one foot to the other as it was their way to cope with the invasive feeling, chanting ouch like a newly discovered prayer.
The culprit behind looked awestruck at the perfect synchronization he bore witness to. There was no divergence between the movements of his sons he could spy, not even with his enhanced sight. Everything Zeref did, Natsu mimicked, and everything Natsu performed, Zeref mirrored. It was an astonishing sight to behold, one he could watch for eternity because it made more than clear just how much alike these two were. If Zeref could see this sight, he would probably never ever again think that there's no blood relation between him and Natsu. Continuing to watch, Natherious wondered what was more fitting to say. That Zeref was a bigger version of Natsu, or that Natsu was a smaller version of Zeref? Probably both claims were correct as both held more than enough truth.
However, there was one thing that irked the man ever so slightly. He may engrave the current scene in front of him into his memory for the remainder of eternity and was rather grateful to have seen it, but he couldn't understand how it came to be. Just before the moment of impact, he slowed down tremendously and basically only brushed their earlobes with a soft touch, nothing more. The remaining force would have not been enough to count as tickle for even a fly, yet here they were, Zeref and Natsu leaping on their feet from side to side in a rather dramatic display he enjoyed way too much.
Had their brains played tricks on them, he wondered, creating imaginations of phantom pain in their ears? Or had they seen through his scheme and were acting the way they did, so he would feel bad and give in to their demands for retribution? Natherious wished he could say no to that, but he couldn't because he was their father and he knew himself all too well. He loved to tease Luna whenever he had a chance to, so he should consider Zeref and Natsu were the same only with him as the victim.
That last thought came closer to reality when the two Dragneel brothers stopped their antics and pouted at their dad with quivering eyes and lips who narrowed his eyes at that. Those little devils! The three males continued to stare at each other, not speaking a single word. Luna watched the event taking place with mild amusement, silently extremely satisfied that for a change it was her teasing shit of a husband who was on the short end and not her. When Natherious sighed, it was clear who had won.
A moment later, Natsu and Zeref both giggled in excitement as they found themselves scooped up by their dad. The raven-haired boy was placed on top of his shoulders, taking a hold of his father's pink locks to balance himself at this height while Natsu snuggled to his dad's chest since he was tightly embraced by one of his strong arms. It offered more than enough space to function as a temporary lounger and Natsu eagerly made full use of it.
"That enough to make up for it?" Natherious asked. "Yes!" Zeref and Natsu cried as an answer in perfect unison, their joy more than obvious in their voices.
With both sons safely secured he turned around to face his wife, finding her with a loving expression on her face. The time was due to go back home, so this day could come to an end. At least, that was how it should have been, had they been a normal family. There was one more thing that needed to be cleared, one that couldn't be delayed and both, Luna and Natherious knew that.
They could feel it, the swirls of magic swaying around Zeref and Natsu, the changes they had brought to their eyes. Obsidian black and onyx green had ceased to exist and were scarlet crimson now, the same as Natherious's eyes. An indicator that the magical abilities had awoken inside both of their sons. They had known this would happen at some point, had known since the moment their sons had been born.
In the records of the Heartfilia family was no evidence, that the household had even been blessed with a boy as offspring. The Heartfilia family only gave birth to girls. Some called it a wonder or miracle, Luna and Natherious a curse. They had discovered the vile reason by a mere accident and Natherious immediately took care of the problem, neutralized the issue before it could cause any danger to his wife. However, that had only been after Zeref and Natsu had already been born. Yet even then those two became boys even though they should have been girls due to the curse as Luna and Natherious called the reason.
It made one thing as clear as crystal. Natherious's DNA was dominating, even rendering the powerful curse useless and ineffective. Zeref and Natsu were the living proof of that. A lucky coincidence, but it also meant responsibility for parents and sons alike because the two Dragneel brothers would probably inherit the properties of their father's magic as well. They had no clue how it would show in the end, but when the brother's eyes became the same as their father's Luna and Natherious knew the day had arrived. It had always been not a question of if but when and they had prepared themselves for a long time. Even then it was still shocking, but there was nothing they could do to change the new circumstances, only take them and make the best out of it for the sake of their sons.
Walking towards his wife, the tall man stopped for a moment by her side and gazed deep into her eyes. Luna did the same and they conversed in silence before the blond maiden addressed their sons.
"Zeref, Natsu, there's something your daddy and I want to show you. Are you up for another adventure today?" she quipped, her voice brimming with excitement. Naturally, it was faked because the blond woman was extremely nervous about what would be happening in the next hour, yet there was little she could do against it. Only pull herself together and push forward.
Needless to say that Zeref and Natsu had a blast when they heard their mother's suggestion. Of course, they were tired, beyond tired even, but now that they were with their parents, nothing could cause them to fear anymore. Therefore, all zapped energy returned within seconds and they were ready to go all night if needed. Their parents laughed about their eagerness, setting forth to the place they were aiming for. Not that it was any special spot though. Anywhere would have done to show the brothers what they needed to see. However, it would be advantageous if they chose a place close to their home because the rest of the walk would be an easy task, especially if their sons should fall asleep until then.
Soft chatter embraced the family of four as they walked back through the dark forest. It was eerier than before, misty fog crawling across every bush, hiding away the eyes of the feral carnivores lurking behind the thin veils. With the radiant presence of their parents, neither Zeref nor Natsu felt even the slightest tug of fear in their hearts. Such was the effect of the two people they adored more than anything else had on them.
Even when shrouded in darkness, the ominous woods posed no problem at all for Luna and Natherious. They guided them safely through the thicket of leaves and branches and soon enough, the borderline of trees came in sight, the wide grassland stretching as far as the eye could see.
Heavy clouds were still hanging in the sky when the Dragneel family entered the last area before their home, but they couldn't go there – not yet. Zeref and Natsu were back on their own two feet by now, running overjoyed across the meadow, always in view of their parents. The two older Dragneels searched for a good spot before Luna spotted a tiny hill that would do just fine to sit on.
"Natsu, Zeref! Come over here for a second. Dad and I will show you something interesting," Luna screamed while Natherious was already seating down on his behind. The blond maiden followed suit, joining him on the grassy underground. She wrapped her arm around his just when their sons arrived. The tall man beside her patted his lap, an invitation their boys couldn't possibly resist and they eagerly climbed up.
"Now close your eyes for a moment. Count to ten, that should suffice for the little surprise that's coming your way," Natherious cooed gently. The two brothers followed the instructions and did as they were told. Both of them were super excited about the mentioned surprise, so they counted as fast as possible, but when they reopened their eyes every thought about the unexpected gift was gone.
They shrieked in pure horror and pressed themselves as close to their dad's front as possible, for there was no ground to be seen anymore. Or rather it was, but beyond the distance, their legs could reach. In only a few seconds, they somehow ended up in the sky, thousands of metres above the surface. They had no idea how such a thing was possible, but the calmness of their parents anchored them, so they only freaked out slightly.
Over their heads, they could feel how the thunder growled at them, ready to snap at them any moment. The power of nature was surging through them, washed over their entire beings in powerful waves. Without Natherious and Luna in close proximity, they had no idea what would have happened to their small bodies.
Suddenly there was a bright flash as the energy in the atmosphere snapped. Everything happened so fast that they hadn't even had the time to close their eyes. However, not shutting their eyes enabled them to watch how the unthinkable occurred. Just when the lightning bolt was about to hit them, their mother raised her free hand and deflected the powerful blast with her bare palm, almost as if she was swatting a fly away. A second later she was shaking her hand from side to side, remaining electricity still crackling around her arm and sizzling from the heat as she recovered from defending her family.
Natsu and Zeref were awestruck at the power their mother had displayed just now. They knew that she was strong, but the event from moments ago surpassed by far everything they could have imagined. And it was not over yet.
"Could you do something about this, Natherious? It will be hard to explain everything if we have to fend off thunderbolts every few seconds," Luna asked. It sounded like a bad joke to the brothers' ears because what should their dad do about a thunderstorm? Well, apparently he had no issues with tackling the impossible task. "Aye Sir! Can do," he replied as he raised his arms skywards.
Zeref and Natsu almost choked on their own saliva when they saw that. Even idiots knew that lightning bolts preferred to hit tall standing objects such as trees or pointy house roofs, especially so when there was something metallic. Considering, that they were high in the skies was bad enough, but the rings of metal around his arms made things even worse. Already could they feel how another lightning bold was crackling somewhere in the clouds, building up strength to strike at full force again.
The two brothers were preparing for the worst case, but it proved to be a futile effort of their accord. Natherious clasped his hands together before anything could happen, the power of the simple motion strong enough to vanquish the entire storm in less than a second right in front of their eyes. Zeref and Natsu saw it, felt the power behind the action, yet they couldn't believe it.
With all clouds gone, they were greeted by the sight of a starry full moon night, the large orb bigger than ever before. Countless stars twinkled across the heavens as if they wanted to welcome them to the glorious view offered, now that the storm was gone. It was beautiful and neither brother thought that they had seen anything as pretty as this before.
But the question remained how their parents were able to deflect lightning with their bare hands or negate a storm like a puff of smoke. The brothers had no idea where they should begin to ask, but their father once more showed his abilities to read the events around just perfectly, so even when their question hadn't been voiced, he answered it nonetheless.
"Magic," he said, "it's magic that allows Luna and me of such feats. It's also the thing we wanted to show you because magic is strong within you," Natherious continued before he haltered for a moment. He was deep in thought, pondering how much he should say, but a reassuring pat on his back encouraged him to reveal everything. "Especially, inside of you, Zeref."
So far the two brothers were looking straight ahead, but after their father had shared this new truth with them, they turned around and stared wide-eyed at the tall man.
'We were both born with magic and I in particular?' Zeref wondered, disbelief emitting from his expression. He had heard of the concept of Ethernano, small particles that are said to exist in nature and build the foundation for all sorcery, but so far he had considered it nothing more than a fairy tale someone had created from mad imaginations. Maybe the books he had read about magic had held more truth than he had believed.
"Zeref." The call of his name pulled him back into reality from which he had been about to slip away. His dad looked intensively at him and Zeref swore he could almost hear the cogwheels turning inside the man's head.
"You still have some doubts about our relation, don't you?" The sudden question caught him slightly off guard, but he had already admitted his thoughts back at the shore, so it would be pointless to hide them. Most of his worries had already been dispersed by his father, but some remained and apparently, the pink-haired man was on the hunt for them as well.
"Yeah..." Zeref answered, his voice so silent that it couldn't even be considered a whisper. Natherious had no trouble at all to hear his son's response and only smiled assuring at the raven-haired male.
He snapped his fingers and out of nowhere a mirror appeared right in front of them, flying in the skies as effortlessly as they did. Zeref and Natsu gasped again in surprise, albeit the older one of the two had an idea forming inside his head, that all events currently shocking them were the works of magic, conjured by their parents.
Still, what he saw was unsettling because his eye colour had changed for reasons unknown to him. The same applied to his brother as well. Instead of their obsidian and onyx eyes, they now had the same eyes like their dad, crimson scarlet. In a way it was cool, but Zeref was still unnerved, for he had no clue how and when did this happen.
"Watch closely, Zeref. I'll show you why you're normal eye colour and hair differ from us, though you will probably feel slightly uncomfortable with what I'm about to do, so better prepare yourself. I'll also explain why you and Natsu now have the same eyes as I," Natherious cooed, directing his sons' attention back to the mirror because his youngest son was also fascinated by the change in his visual orbs.
Gently, he placed his hand on Zeref's shoulder and allowed his overwhelming magic to invade the small boy. The effects were immediate. His oldest son grew dizzy, his sight lost focus and was all over the place. "Fight it, Zeref," he mumbled, encouraging his son to resist the sudden feeling of his magical abilities getting restrained, for they were the sole reason why Zeref had such great differences in terms of looks from the rest of them.
Hearing the words of encouragement, Zeref tried to focus back on the mirror. It was hard, extremely so because he was so tired since his dad had placed his hand on his shoulder, but he managed somehow. However, he feared he wouldn't last long because the draining sensation that was embracing him was simply too overpowering to be fended off for long. Yet, when he witnessed what was happening in front of him in the mirror, all thought left his mind.
At first, it was only a slight flicker, barely visible and only noticeable when one knew that something was supposed to happen. But the flickering intensified and in only a few seconds the reddish colour was vanishing from his orbs. Whatever his father was doing to him, it was affecting him greatly, but he was not afraid because he knew his dad would never harm him.
Zeref gasped when he realized that his eye colour was not returning to midnight black. Instead, it took another route towards a colour he was all too familiar with. When all red was gone, Zeref took in his reflected self and was greeted by the sight of hazelnut hues swirling in the pools that normally preferred to be pitch black. And it was not the end yet.
It started at the very tip of his tuft of hair, always sticking out no matter what was happening to him. The same flicker as in his eyes, indicating that change was imminent and indeed, the moment he thought about it, the shift occurred. Pitch black became golden yellow, a shade only one person he knew possessed, the same person who also had hazelnut eyes and was watching him with a warm smile while she leaned her head against Natherious upper arm.
Zeref had become a spitting image of his mother, granted with the same eyes and hair. All possible doubts about his heritage were eradicated in this one moment for eternities to come. However, one aspect remained in the dark, one that he voiced immediately after his transformation, bewilderment over his new looks reigning supreme over his face.
"How!?" A simple question, yet it contained his every thirst for knowledge, knowledge his father was eager to give.
"The answer lies within magic, your magic to be precise. Ever since you were born, it was powerful enough to create this change within you. The stronger magic is, the deeper it dwells inside the abyss from where all magic originates and can bring forth effects such as it is the case with you, Zeref. Your natural eye and hair colours are the same as your mother's, but your magic dies them midnight black because it is the hue which dwells within the bottomless vortex." Natherious explained.
Honestly, Zeref had trouble following the words of his dad. Basically, they made sense, but he had trouble wrapping his mind around the explanation because it sounded so foreign to his ears. His father suddenly chuckled, probably about the confused state he was in.
"No worries Zeref. There's no need to understand what I'm saying right now. It will come over time Magic in its essence is free and has no boundaries. It can even overturn physical laws with ease and is only limited by your own mind, and how far you are willing to go. The possibilities are endless and never-ending. There's one thing I should mention though. Effects caused by magic can be stopped if said magic is suppressed which is what I'm doing right now. That's also the reason why you feel suddenly so tired and zapped of strength. You will be alright again, once I stop holding your powers back, but it's better when you see it yourself."
Natherious released Zeref's shoulder and only a second later, eyes and hair had returned to their prior stage. The tall man snapped his fingers again and the mirror vanished. It wasn't needed anymore and it gave him also the time to ponder how he should proceed. His words were more than enough to explain why Zeref sprouted other traits than the rest of his family, but they weren't sufficient to make the shift in Natsu's and Zeref's eyes to crimson red comprehensible.
Natherious knew, that his family was watching him, but he struggled to find the correct words to continue. Luckily, Natsu came to his aid, albeit involuntary. "What is at the bottom of the abyss, dad?" he asked. It was just what he needed to buy himself some time, so he happily indulged his son.
"At the bottom rests The One Magic." The pink-haired man intentionally didn't say anything else, fully aware that his sons would drill him for more. "What's that?!" Natsu asked again, but Zeref was just as interested to know. Natherious chuckled at their enthusiasm. He had figured they would show interest to some extent the day they would be first taught about magic, but he had underestimated them. However, for him it was like second nature to discuss magic, so he had no problems at all satisfying his sons' curiosity.
"The One Magic is also known as love, the spring from where the primordial form of magic was born from. A concept that lasts even to this day." He allowed a few moments to pass by before he looked at his sons. They were young, so they would probably have not much interest in love at the moment, but their excited looks demanding more from him told him otherwise.
He glanced to his side, took in the beauty of the woman he was allowed to call his wife and the way she lovingly looked at her sons and he knew exactly what he was going to tell next. If Zeref and Natsu wanted to know about love, he had just the perfect tale to share."Alright, you two. Since you're so intrigued about love I will tell you a special story," Natherious declared, all attention solely on him.
"Long ago, there was a fearsome demon, wreaking havoc wherever he went. He was the strongest in the entire world, his strength unparalleled and his wisdom unmatched. There was one thing though the demon never obtained and making him incomplete, not that he would have ever admitted that. He continued on his destructive march until a fateful day would change his life to come forever."
Pausing for a moment, Natherious took his time to survey the initial reactions of his family. First, he checked on his wife, taking in her surprised look with mild amusement because she had probably not thought it would be of all stories this one in particular. Zeref and Natsu were the complete opposite. When Natherious squinted his eyes, he could swear there were stars twinkling inside their scarlet pools and around their faces. He took it as his sign to continue.
"On that day, he had wandered into a forsaken forest after gruesome battle to cleanse his body from the wounds he had received. In its depths was a small, but beautiful pond in which he would take a bath. Using his fiery magic, he morphed it into a hot spring before he dived beneath the surface, enjoying the feeling of scalding water on his naked skin. When he emerged again, taking in the sight of the starry full moon night identical to the one above our heads, the world had changed. His instincts told him that he was being watched and when he turned around, he found her staring at him."
Natherious took a small breath before he went on with the story.
"A maiden with hair of purest gold stood there at the shore, her body tainted by the madness the world had to offer. The demon could only guess how many hells she had suffered through, only to end up right in front of him, the worst of them all. Or so he thought because the woman he came across was full of surprises. Seeing no reason to harm her any further, he had offered her modesty by turning around and the opportunity to soak her body in the warm waters.
Against his expectations, the maiden accepted as he heard the rustling of the tattered garb she wore, joining him in his nudity. He was certain she knew who... what he was, but seemingly she didn't care. However, the surprises did not stop there because from all places she chose his back to lean against with her own, arguably the most dangerous place in the whole world. Startled he told her as such and asked what she was doing. She took her time before answering him. When she did, she simply stated that that was decided by nothing more than the fact from where one would look at the scene. For her, who felt not threatened in any way, it was the safest place, she said and left it at that.
The demon was stunned, even more so because moments later he could hear soft snores coming from behind him, telling him that she was soundly asleep. She showed no signs of fear in his presence, something that hadn't happened until that one moment. It was disturbing for the demon, but refreshing as well and thus, he decided to indulge the maiden resting against his back, for she had caught his interest."
"They began travelling together and shortly after The One Magic was blossoming inside both of their hearts as they had fallen madly in love with each other. The demon offered everything and more the maiden had always searched for and the beautiful woman was everything and more the demon had always desired With every passing day their feelings grew in intensity and never stopped. They married soon enough and were blessed with beautiful children, making their life simply perfect as they lived happily ever after."
The moment Natherious finished the story, his sons were immediately in his face, squealing from pure excitement as they chanted "Again! Again!" He only chuckled and Luna joined in as well as they saw just how engrossed these two had become in his little tale. It was pretty adorable and the tall man made a mental note to tell them stories more often, hoping he could coax their current reactions from them.
"Alright, alright you two. I get it," he said before bursting out in loud laughter since their hair was tickling his neck. "I can tell you the story again if you really want to, but what do you think of me sharing a little secret that hides between the lines?"
Sure enough, Natherious didn't need to wait for long before his sons roared their response. "Hell yeah!" They both screamed, their enthusiasm seemingly unending and he had to admit it was rather contagious, so he was more than eager to continue, intrigued to gauge their reactions, especially from Zeref.
"After maiden and demon had fallen in love, he allowed himself to revisit their first meeting, for it was bathed in a complete shine for him now. For the demon, she was not just a human anymore. Instead, he saw her as an angel that had fallen from the skies on the world below. She was a messenger of God, a Seraph that carried the gift of love inside her heart," Natherious said before he halted for a moment. He looked at Zeref and smiled wide and toothy, placing his hand atop the raven-haired boy's head.
"And this is exactly what your name means Seraph or rather Zeref. You and your brother are the life your mom and I love." Natherious revealed, smile only getting bigger the more seconds passed by. Natsu's name means life and Zeref's love and he hoped they would like the hidden meaning. The two sets of arms that suddenly wrapped around his neck and the wet feeling of hot tears against his skin indicated that his sons indeed welcomed the hidden indications their names carried.
"I deem it you like this little secret?" he asked and got his answer a second later. "Of course, we do!" Zeref and Natsu cried, their hearts brimming with happiness and joy. Not wishing to be left out, Luna scooted closer and climbed on Natherious lap as well, hugging her sons from behind. It was a bit awkward and crowded, but neither of them cared. There were simply too lost in the intimate moment they shared with each other.
Minutes passed by that felt like countless eternities, yet no member of the Dragneel family broke away. Originally, Natherious hadn't planned for this. He had simply tried to buy him some moments of precious time, so he could come up with a plan on how to best deal with the change inside of Natsu's and Zeref's eyes. However, he had simply gone with the flow of things at some point, but luckily everything played out well enough, so he could easily return to that particular topic.
"Zeref, Natsu, there's something else I want to show you, Are you up for more or do you want to go home instead?" It was a pressing matter, but it wouldn't do any harm if he waited for a few days before tackling the issue caused by the two brothers awakening their magical talent. It was pretty late already and even though Natsu and Zeref didn't notice, the fatigue was easily detectable on their faces.
"Of course we!" They exclaimed full of energy though, so Natherious figured it would be fine to proceed. "If that's the case turn around so I can show you a special type of magic that was birthed from love," he softly ordered. Natsu and Zeref obeyed, willing to see what their dad had in store for them.
After some shuffling, both sat in their mother's lap, their bare feet dangling over the edge that was her legs. The blond woman leaned her head in the crook of her husband's neck who in response nuzzled her hair with his nose. She was well aware of what was going to transpire, but they had discussed long ago what they would do if their sons' magic would ever awaken. It would be for the best, at least until both of them were ready, physically and mentally, to hold their powers to their utmost limit.
Natherious raised his arms before calling for his magic. It answered his call all too eagerly and roared to life with burning heat, setting his hands ablaze with flames of black and red. The two brothers were shocked at that, afraid why their dad's hands were suddenly burning, but the sensation of dread only lasted for a single moment. Afterwards, it was already forgotten and a part of a distant past.
In its place had stepped a feeling neither of them could express with words. Their insides stirred, their innermost core shook from unbound anticipation and they had no clue why this was happening. However, they felt the pull to the mystic fire their father had created, how it was singing its alluring concert, coaxing them forward. Was it weird that they were hungry? That they were ravenous out of a sudden, starved like feral animals, wanting nothing more but to devour those flames in front of them?
"Go ahead," the voice of their father sounded all around them, but they had no idea whether he had really said that or if it had been nothing else but a spiel of their minds. Either way, they reached out, Zeref taking the left hand burning with black flames and Natsu the other. "Magic is free of all limits, so don't hesitate and dig in." Again, there was a voice, but this time it was their mother's soft tune pushing them gently forwards and they obliged.
They closed their eyes and opened their mouths, munching on the flames as if they were nothing else than a delicious meal. And delicious they were. Both of their parents were Gods in the kitchen, but the taste currently lingering on their tongues was other worldly. Never had they eaten anything like this and they could not get enough of the fiery meal, so they devoured more.
The fire of Natherious invaded his sons, albeit it meant no harm and was welcomed as guests with open arms. It ventured deep, deep enough to reach the bottoms of their individual soul where their newly awakened citadels rested. They slumbered peacefully since the earlier assaults on them had completely ceased, waiting until the time was due to open their gates. However, the flames of Natherious laid themselves over the ethereal constructs, enveloping them in a curtain of ever-burning fire and thus, making it impossible for anyone to reach them anymore. At the same time, their influence on their masters was weakened, so as long as Natherious didn't suspend his fire, there was no danger of them getting out of control, never.
Just as it should be, Natsu's and Zeref's eyes returned to their normal onyx and obsidian colours, but Luna and Natherious had only a few moments to assure everything had worked out just fine because their sons were suddenly dropping against their father's chest, soundly asleep as today's events and the tiredness that came alongside washed over them. It was time to go home, that much was obvious.
Natherious had used gravity magic to levitate all of them into the skies, so he lifted the spell because it would be the fastest way to return to the surface. Luna screamed in panic at her husband to stop as her heart was jumping out of her chest, but even that was not enough to wake up either Zeref or Natsu. His sons simply wriggled closer to his comforting warmth and continued to sleep without a care in the world. It caused the man to laugh wholeheartedly, overjoyed that the two trusted him so much.
When the ground was getting closer, he slowed down until his feet made gently contact with the solid earth again. Luna had passed out by then, so he simply threw her over his shoulders like a sack of potatoes, just the way he liked to carry her.
It had been an eventful day for all of them without question, but ultimately it brought them together closer than they had been before. When Natherious reached their home, he immediately went for the bedroom of Luna and him. Carefully he placed his sons and Luna on the bed before wrapping his arms around them and pulling the covers off their bodies. Then he joined them in their sleep, grateful for every moment he could have with his family.
XXX
The happy days of the Dragneel family never ended, each day was another mesmerizing memory to remember. However, the day arrived when everything came crashing down and all happiness vanished inside the red residing within fire and blood. Haunting memories of a nightmare come true, but before they resurfaced, obsidian eyes snapped open from deep slumber, refusing to live through the day he had lost everything again.
Zeref Dragneel awoke with a gasp leaving his lips, cold sweat coating his ever-youthful face. He was delusive for a few seconds, his brain a mush of countless thoughts pounding against the inside of his skull. He may be immortal, but he was not immune to pain, something he had wished for countless times in his long life already, but always went unheard. Gods truly knew no mercy he mused.
It took him a bit longer to calm his erratic emotions, but after only a few minutes his usual stoic expression was back in place. He took in the room he was currently residing in. Countless rows of wooden tables and chairs lined the interior and at the far corner was a bar. A staircase led towards the second floor, probably offering better rooms than the vast hall, but he was pleased with his current location.
He may be the Emperor of a vast Empire, but he had never cared about adequate clothing. Most of the time he stuck to his black garbs with golden ornaments, accompanied by the excessively white scarf that always accompanied him. He had requested it himself from his mother, but she messed up the size completely and thus, he ended up with the enormous clothing. Even now as an adult it was way too large for him, but he found it comfortable how he could wrap it several times around his body without much trouble. It reminded him of the bottomless amount of happiness he once was blessed with and when he needed solace from the world's madness, the scarf was always his first choice.
However, he had to wonder why he was remembering all those things at a time like this. After all, he was in the middle of a war that would change the world forever, yet singling out the reason was easy enough. He was in the guild hall of Fairy Tail, a place where family ties were thicker than blood. And it was the guild Mavis had created, so he would expect nothing less. It was an astonishing feat to make him remember happy memories, one that demanded praise. As a reward he would deliver ultimate destruction, crushing the fairies beneath his feet until none was left. Zeref smirked at the irony of that. In a manner of speaking, Fairy Tail was his creation and now he would also be the one responsible for its annihilation. This world was truly a cruel place at times.
He heard the screams of death, pain and agony from outside and figured, it was time to check on the progress of the war. The Fairies and their allies were vigilant fighters, but paired up against his empire they were fighting a battle they had already lost. August and Irene on their own would be more than enough to end this war with their powers and he had brought them both, alongside all the other members of The Spriggan 12. And even if all of them should somehow be defeated, he was a wall none of them could overcome.
Reaching the window, he looked outside and was immediately greeted by a reddish light. It was bright, but he didn't squint his eyes together as many others would. It was the fading effect of Universe 1, one of Irene's greatest enchantments. Had she been bested? It was his first thought, but her magical power was still there, unwavering, showing no signs that her life was in mortal danger, but something was off. That much he could say, but he was unable to put his finger on it. Must be his imagination.
But did that mean she had betrayed him? It was more plausible considering her actions from a few years ago when he had to step in and stop the advance of his armies towards Ishgar. However, she was not a woman of deceipt. Her pride wouldn't allow such treachery against her own beliefs.
This must mean, that somebody else had lifted the spell, but who possibly could achieve something like that? Universe 1 was created by himself and only Irene was capable of chanting the world reconstructing magic, so who was it? In the lines of their enemies was no powerful enough enchanter able to perform such a deed. Zeref had to admit it was intriguing that there was anyone with such skills, but in the end, it didn't matter to him. Fairy Tail would end today and with the power of their heart, he would reset time and call happiness his once more.
Red light embraced his form like everything else. When the shine was gone he was still inside of Fairy Tail, but the world had returned to its normal state. The big city of Magnolia stretched before his eyes, but a sudden voice pulled his attention away from the sight.
"Natsu! Lucy! Where are you?" the blue Exceed cried, desperate because he had been severed from his beloved friends. Zeref looked with sadness at the walking cat. The black mage hadn't expected it would be the blue cat that would reach him first.
'Oh Natsu, this outcome will bring you the greatest pain, right?' he silently thought to himself as he took his first step towards Happy. But then a smile formed on his lips as his thought wandered further.
'Don't worry though, brother. Soon, very soon, just like me, you will be Alone In This World.'
XXXXXXXXX
What a journey it had been up to this point! I can hardly believe it's been almost a year since I started this story and now all foundation building is over at last and the real retelling of Fairy Tail's end can begin. I'm so excited about it!
Thank you all so much for the support you shared with me. I appreciate everything you're willing to share with me and I hope you will enjoy the second half of this story as well. I've many ideas in mind so let's see how well things will end this time around. :D
