Disclaimer: I am not the owner of Fairy Tail

The meal went by without much conflict, and the paperwork was finished rather quickly. Guild masters began to leave for their rooms as they finished, seemingly in a good mood now that most of the work was actually complete. Zeref, however, stopped with Natsu, Levy, August, and the rest of the team that was involved with the dragon egg thus far. Right now would be the most difficult stage of his plan. Rising to his feet, he began walking with them following after him. "So…care to explain how this solves anything? Because I'm not just going to let you destroy that book, Zeref. I don't care what it does for this empire of yours, I'm not ready to just lay down and give up like that."

"I was actually wondering the same thing." Loke stared at him, crossing his arms over his chest. "No offense, but I just can't see you so easily agreeing to killing off Natsu like this. He's the only family you have left, other than August."

Zeref remained quiet until he was certain they were on the other side of his castle from the guild masters. Nab was quiet as well, with Levy simply frowning in thought. His whispered conversation with her likely gave her the hint that he wasn't entirely planning on killing off Natsu at least, despite the others being uncertain. August knew him well enough to understand that him overseeing the drafting of the treaty also meant there was something particular he was concerned with in the agreement. Still, when he stopped at his room and let the other join him, he turned to start answering their questions instead. "First, I need Levy." Blinking, the blue haired girl frowned at him.

"For what? You still haven't said a thing, damn it! I want to know what's going—"

"I'm giving Levy the Book of END, Natsu." That made the dragon slayer grow quiet, watching as Zeref pulled the book out from his desk drawer. Levy took it from him, watching him warily. "I want you to hide this, or keep it on your person, wherever you feel it is better kept safe and out of sight from others. I cannot know where it is, Levy."

"Why?"

"Because…when I go to bargain with Jellal later, I do not wish to give him its location." She nodded, while Zeref turned towards August. "August, can you come up with a reason to depart from Vistarion for some time?"

"Of course. What exactly do you intend for me to work on?"

Smiling darkly, Zeref glanced at the others. "You'll be keeping an eye on the demon I'm about to create."

"Wait, what?" Nab's eyes went wide, stepping forward. "You can't just…I mean, making a demon isn't the only solution here."

"It is, actually." Zeref turned towards Natsu, nodding at his brother. "As you've all determined thus far, Natsu is a well known demon of mine. If I wish to get away with keeping him alive, I need the others to believe he has been destroyed. As a result…I need a demon with the same name as his."

"You can't just make the demon here, though." Loke focused on him, frowning slightly. "The other guild masters aren't that ignorant of their surroundings. They'll sense you using that kind of magic, Zeref."

He nodded, walking towards the door. "Typically, you'd be correct. However…do you recall the sealing spell we encountered around the dragon egg?" Loke nodded, while Zeref began working. "It hid not only the visual signs of its hiding place, but also its magical aura. In other words, it is possible to hide the use of magic in plain sight with such a spell. I intend on mimicking it and placing it around this room to create my demon. From there, August will take it away from Vistarion and ensure it does no damage for the brief amount of time it will exist for."

"It still doesn't change the fact that this'll be breaking the treaty you just made…" Nab hesitated, staring at him. "I mean, not that I'd tell them or anything. I don't want Natsu to die either…but I don't want us to be at war again because you…tricked them like this."

"Actually, he is not invalidating the agreement at all." August smiled faintly, shaking his head. "I suspected he had a plan such as this, given the alterations he made to my draft. The wording was specifically designed, stating that Zeref would destroy the books of the demons he had gathered before the guild masters, and that they would be able to oversee their destruction, and add missing volumes to the gathered books."

"Oh! So that's why Levy's taking the book. That way, you can't bring it to them even if they ask you too!" Natsu grinned, patting Zeref's arm. "I guess I really shouldn't have doubted you. It's just…kinda habit still, I guess."

He nodded, smiling faintly at his brother. Things were still improving at least, even if he hadn't completely gained Natsu's trust. "This process will exhaust me. It has been centuries since I last made a demon. As a result…it will delay our work with bringing Igneel back, but overall, it is the best solution I can consider for the time being. It shortens further debates, and is an acceptable path forward for all of us."

"Well, while you work on that, I can try seeing what I can find out." Natsu grinned at Zeref. "I mean, we're both working towards the same goal, right? I want Igneel back too, and if you're gonna cast the spell to do it, the least I can do is figure out what you need. Just tell me what to get and I'll get started."

Staring at him, Zeref frowned. Could Natsu do it? He wasn't certain what his relationship with Jellal was. Yet, he also had a plan in mind to bring Jell to help him as well. "It…is likely complicated. To succeed, I need a resurrection spell unlike what I typically use to create life. Specifically, I had intended to speak with Jellal about such things. He insinuated that he had a method to make a functioning version of an old spell of mine."

"I could ask Jellal about it if you want."

"But Jellal wouldn't expect you to ask about something like that, Natsu." Levy shook her head, frowning. "Let's face it, you've never really cared about details like that before. Even if I asked about it, I don't think he'd answer. Resurrection is black magic, which means it is a part of the past that he regrets the most."

"You make it sound like none of us could get him to talk about it!"

"I can." Zeref glanced towards Natsu, taking a deep breath. "After my agreement with the guild masters is fulfilled…I can persuade him to help."

"This is why it is useful for at least one demon to remain, Natsu." August turned towards him, nodding towards the boy. "Jellal is an ally of yours, and as such, will not harm you. At the same time, news of a surviving demon will drive Jellal to seek answers…allowing for a deal to be made only after he can no longer use their agreement against Zeref."

"It still seems a bit…deceitful." Levy crossed her arms over her chest, staring at the ground. "I understand why we're doing this…but I don't like lying to my friends. Isn't there something else we could offer?"

"They've requested a reduction in military force, which I agreed to temporarily. They've requested to understand everything about the spells I've made…which could cause far more problems than you suspect. Finally, they've requested to force you into marriage with me…without even considering how you'd react or what exactly you intend on doing with your own future. Perhaps you've allowed Invel to educate you on government, but that in no way implies you have set your mind on this path."

"Wait…Levy's already started learning about how to rule Alvarez? Why the heck wouldn't that be a decent option then?"

"Because! Zeref and I…we're…" Levy bit her lip, staring at her feet. "It's just too early for something like that." Taking a deep breath, Levy looked back up and met Zeref's eyes. "If it wasn't for the fact that I'd lived as you for a little while, I might've actually gotten angry for just giving in to something like this. I…I can't expect them to just trust you, not after seeing how blindly people react to your name." She swallowed, closing her eyes. "Given that…this might really be our only option, unless Natsu wants to test and see how everyone will react to him being END."

"No." Zeref answered before Natsu could even try.

"Hey! Isn't that my choice to make?"

"And what if they still decide you must be destroyed?" Natsu went quiet, his eyes wide. "Makarov would not…but the others? Do you know each and every guild master well enough to say how they'll react?" Natsu didn't answer, and Zeref closed his eyes. "I'm taking enough of a risk, assuming Jellal will not harm you in response. That is why I have the precaution of no longer knowing where your book shall be…so even if he does decide you must die, I will not be able to assist in the matter. This plan…is the best we can manage given the circumstances. I will not let you die because of reckless actions."

"Then it sounds like we're in agreement." Loke looked over at him, crossing his arms over his chest. "It sounds like we'll be getting back to that job later, then, and like you've got this handled. Nab and I will keep quiet about all of this, Zeref. All they need to know is that Natsu is just another guild wizard."

Natsu frowned, staring down at himself. "Yeah. I guess." He sighed, shaking his head. "I was planning on telling my friends about it soon too. I mean, some of them figured it out in Edolas, but it's not like all of Fairy Tail knows."

Levy placed a hand on his shoulder, smiling faintly. "I know. It'll be okay, Natsu. No matter what happens, you're still you, and that means we aren't going to just push you away for something like this." He nodded, grinning over at Zeref.

"Yeah, I guess you're right! Plus, this way I get to actually get to know Zeref too! I mean, we're brothers, right?" Zeref nodded, and Natsu tossed his arm around Zeref's shoulders in response. Zeref's eyes widened, but he did not move away from the contact as he stared over at his brother. "Then we really should hang out some more. So, are you gonna get to making that other END then?" Smiling faintly, Zeref nodded. They had a plan in place, and other things to work on soon enough. It might be tiring to make another demon, but if it kept his brother alive and protected the future he was moving towards, Zeref would manage with whatever price he had to be. After all, it would always be less than the price he paid for letting guilt rule his life in the past.

Despite being tired from the creation of a rather weak demon, the meeting with the guild masters went without much issue. Gathering the other books from his remaining demons was simple, since he was the source of their magic. Calling the books to him was as simple as destroying them, and so, it had only taken three days to be prepared for the other guild masters. "I will admit, it has been some time since I made many of these. Again, you are welcome to inform me of any missing demons to try and locate after searching through what I've gathered here. The titles will give you their names, but I recommend not contacting the books themselves. This magic is rather dangerous to those who do not understand how to use it."

Nodding, they began surrounding the table in the meeting room again. This time, they were scanning the books, likely trying to find one demon in particular after assuming he'd be missing. "I see you've not broken your word. END really is here after all." Jellal nodded at the cover, while Zeref simply remained silent. "I suppose I owe you an apology then, for doubting your word. I cannot say I can think of a single name missing from what is here."

"I didn't realize there were still so many left." Sting frowned at them, turning towards Zeref. "Weren't most of them in Tartaros?"

"The most prominent, yes." Zeref moved closer, studying the names. "A few of these were earlier creations, more akin to experiments than anything else. They did not posses the same abilities as the others, and likely cause little to no harm at the moment." A few couldn't even use curse power. It had taken Zeref some time to determine how to grant them some form of energy that mimicked magic, after all.

"I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm happy with what I see here. Our little black wizard really did go all out to gather these in such a short time." Bob smiled at him, while Zeref tried focusing on the others instead.

Nodding, Jellal stepped back. "I agree. Let us get this over with then, so we can leave for a change. As inviting as you may have been, I'm still not all that fond of spending time with a wizard of your status, Zeref."

It was to be expected, especially considering his reputation. So, without speaking, he walked towards the table, holding his hand out. Really, he was going to need to take some time to sleep after this. He was expending even more energy, unraveling the enchantments around each book just as he had done for Mard Geer before. Yet, it didn't take long for each book to vanish, destroyed with little thought. Even the demon he'd only just created vanished, and with it, Zeref stepped back. August would be returning soon with the disappearance of the second END now, but he still had other work to finish first.

Guild masters began to leave not long after they were destroyed. Really, it was rather brief, this meeting. Zeref had a feeling Jellal wasn't the only one uncomfortable lingering in Alvarez after their recent war. However, when Jellal rose to leave, Zeref rose to follow after him.

Noticing him approaching, Jellal stopped and turned towards him. "If you think this meeting implies we've become friends of some form, you'd be incorrect." Jellal glanced towards him, narrowing his eyes. "I've spent far too much of my time dealing with the legacy you've left behind. Feeling kindly towards you…is likely not an option anymore."

"I suspected as much, given your rather personal request from before." The former wizard saint frowned, while Zeref smiled and folded his hands behind his back. "To that end…what would you give, to have even a small fragment of the knowledge you asked for? How far would you be willing to go?"

Narrowing his eyes, Jellal frowned. "I work to eradicate its existence. With or without your help…I will find that knowledge somehow, and put an end to what you've begun."

"That isn't quite an answer." Zeref tilted his head, sighing. "You mentioned before, that you had determined a method of activating the R-System." Jellal nodded, crossing his arms over his chest. "I wish to know how to do so myself, and I'd rather not waste my time searching for the answer on my own."

"A spell like that doesn't belong in the hands of a dark wizard like you."

"Just as spells like what I have created don't belong in the hands of any wizard at all." Zeref smiled darkly at Jellal, seeing the man look away. "You and I…we both know the darkness in me better than most. People see what they wish to see, and in my case…they either see only the dark, or the light."

"So I take it Levy sees the light?"

Frowning, Zeref glanced behind him, towards the dining hall. "I'm not certain. She…she sees the mix of both, I think. The light I cannot fathom exists within me, combined with the darkness she seeks to tame…why she accepts it as it is is rather vexing to me, but I will not complain about such things."

Nodding, Jellal looked away. "I simply hope I can find someone capable of doing the same with me." Leaning against a wall, Jellal closed his eyes. "I've done terrible things in my past…and while I suppose I could blame others, I am a strong enough wizard to know I should have been able to break free. The answers you are looking for…exist in the darkest moments of my history. As such, there is little that would tempt me to reveal them to anyone."

"A dark secret for a dark secret, then." Zeref smiled, chuckling and glancing at the halls himself. This would be where things got more complicated, quickly. "What would you do…if I told you that there was still one demon in existence? That you had, in fact, missed one in your keen observation of the collection I revealed to you?"

"I'd insist upon you destroying it, of course. Our agreement—"

"Only demanded that I destroy the demons I presented to you, once you verified I had indeed presented a satisfactory collection of demons."

Jellal scowled in response, closing his hand into a fist. "Damn you…you found a way out. I knew I couldn't trust you!"

"I never once claimed I would not attempt to salvage one of them, Jellal." The blue haired wizard was quiet, while Zeref sighed. "Truly, I did not do this to create more enemies. However…I have something important to complete, something which requires the knowledge you possess. I cannot simply let this chance pass by, not when so much time has already passed." He met Jellal's gaze, steadily stepping closer. "I want to know the secret behind the R-System. You wish to know of the last demon I have in existence. If anything, I'd say it is an even trade."

Jellal seemed to pause, staring at the wall for a moment. "And if I refuse? Because to put it simply, locating a single demon on my own should not be that difficult."

"Considering this demon was created four centuries ago, and the fact that you are still unaware of his existence?" Zeref chuckled, shaking his head. "I think not. To put it simply, he's hidden far better than you might think."

Snorting, Jell shook his head. "I'm not falling for this deception. I won't be your pawn, not like this. A single demon isn't anything to be concerned over—"

"The demon that is still alive is the one you fear most." Jellal stiffened at that, while Zeref nodded at him. "I told you before, I'd destroy every single demon except for one. Now that I've told you one remains, exactly which do you think I protected?"

"That's not…END's book was there. He can't be alive!"

"But you failed to realize I had created two demons by that name." Jellal inhaled sharply, while Zeref folded his hands behind his back. "END is still alive. I can guarantee that is the case, Jellal. So…I offer you this chance again. A dark secret for a dark secret…what would you give to know of END? To have answers no one else has obtained?"

"Exactly what are you offering?" Jellal narrowed his eyes, folding his arms across his chest. "I won't be satisfied with some mere taunting comments…and based on before, I can't trust you won't back out of our arrangement. I want specifics of what you want…specifics on what knowing of END entails."

Zeref paused, before turning the question back towards him. "Would it satisfy you to know END's identity? Who he truly is, rather than the name I've given him?"

Frowning, Jellal glanced towards Zeref. "He…he is not simply END?"

"Of course not. How could such a name blend in with society as well as that demon has managed to do?"

Jellal looked away, silent for a moment. "And I imagine you would not reveal such a thing…unless I spoke of the tower I constructed." Zeref nodded, and Jellal closed his eyes. "What purpose would this knowledge save for you? Even if you have the power to activate it, a sacrifice—"

"I've since worked past that flaw in the design. I can utilize…something else, in its place."

"Then why not use your other methods of creating life? Surely, they could resurrect the dead just as well as they can imbue lifeless objects with consciousness."

"They can." Zeref smiled, tilting his head at Jellal. "Yet, there are still limits to how much life, how much energy, that method can restore. The R-System was designed with more generality in mind…with the theoretical capability of bringing back any lifeform, regardless of its original power."

Something seemed to flash in Jellal's eyes and he took a step away from Zeref. "Power…surely, you are not seeking out a weapon with this?"

"Not at all." Zeref chuckled, shaking his head. "As a weapon, I suspect he'd be rather uncooperative with me anyway. Typically, it was him that was able to convince me to do things outside of what I considered comfortable rather than the opposite."

"Then why? I cannot give this knowledge to you, and still remain on this path of clearing away my sins—"

"Your sins will never go away." Zeref interrupted him, his smile fading as he thought about his own past. Yet, Igneel's advice still came to mind. "Yet, we should not let our pasts define us. Rather, we should focus on our future…and speak to each other as the people we currently are."

"And my future does not lie along the path of making deals with you."

"If your future entails discovering everything I've done in my past, I assure you it will."

Jellal seemed to narrow his eyes at Zeref, staring him down for a moment. Zeref simply met his gaze calmly, wondering how much it would take to push him past this. "What would it take? If END is not enough—"

"His identity is not enough." Jellal spoke, before frowning and turning away. "Destroying him, however, would be a different matter." Glancing towards Zeref, Jellal seemed to nod to himself. "That would indeed be one darkness lost in return for a darkness gained. I could tolerate that trade."

"I will not destroy him." Igneel would never forgive him, if that was what it took to follow this path. However, maybe there was another avenue to follow. August…his magic could likely accomplish what he'd need. "Very well. I can see that we will not reach an agreement along this path…so how about a lesser detail? I would like the exact location where you once constructed the R-System yourself. In return…I offer the same as before. The identity of END, in return for a location of a tower that has long since been destroyed."

"In essence…a location for a location." Jellal seemed to pause, frowning for a moment. Staring at Zeref, he seemed to debate with himself over the matter. "What…I still don't understand why you have such a strong desire for this. What do you have to gain?"

"An old friend." Zeref didn't bother elaborating further.

There was another pause, and Jellal slowly began to nod. "A location…for a location. That…that will be acceptable." Moving past Jellal, Zeref nodded and headed towards one of his nearby offices. Grabbing a sheet of paper, despite Jellal's confusion, Zeref pushed it towards him.

"Write down the coordinates. I assume it is rather remote, if you managed to completely construct it without the Council's knowledge."

"I did so by being a member of the Council as I created it, actually." Jellal spoke dryly, making Zeref smile faintly.

"A rather useful deception, I suppose." Jellal only nodded, finishing writing out the coordinates and rising to his feet.

"Now…who is END?"

Touching his chest where the book remained close to him, Zeref smiled faintly. "END…is exactly as you stated before. He is not a demon created from life that never was, but life that had been stolen away."

"A…END is someone you resurrected from the dead?" Jellal was staring at him with wide eyes, while Zeref nodded. "Then…who was brought back? Who…"

"The one person I lost…whose loss of life I saw no true purpose in, no reason behind the death that came so harshly and so suddenly." Jellal was a lot like him, Zeref knew. He felt like he needed to explain more, so he would not rashly and impulsively charge Natsu before leaving. "Attempt to take that life away again…and I will stand in your way. This knowledge is meant to grant you understanding, Jellal…nothing more and nothing less. Everything I've done…whether you can see how or not, I've done it for him."

"Even this god damn war? You fought a war for your demon?"

Nodding, Zeref turned towards him with a dark smile. "Yes, I did." Maybe it didn't work out as planned, but he had only wanted to give Natsu the life he deserved. "Have you any guess yet, as to who might persuade me to go so far in my actions?" Jellal only shook his head, taking a step back. "END…my greatest creation, and my greatest pride…the one meant to grant me peace, an end to my suffering." The poetic meaning of the name, however, did little to calm Jellal. "Etherious Natsu Dragneel…my younger brother, and from what I've seen thus far, a rather close friend of yours as well."

"Natsu?" Jellal stared at him, his eyes wide. "That…he can't be a demon."

"His demonic powers and nature are sealed away…but that does not make it any less true."

Glancing at the door behind him, Jellal seemed to remain still. His eyes were wide, lost in thought about what he had just heard. "Natsu…so that's what you meant before. You…sealed away his memories as well." Zeref nodded, leaning against the desk and watching Jellal closely. "But he's never once behaved similarly to any of them. Natsu isn't…" He broke off, glancing towards Zeref. "That's why you told me, isn't it? Because you knew…you knew I wouldn't be able to destroy him, not after hearing…"

Nodding, Zeref grabbed the paper off of the desk, folding the coordinates and placing them into his robes. "And that is also why I refuse to destroy him myself. Really, do you think I'd be willing to murder my own brother after sacrificing so much to bring him back?" Jellal was silent, his eyes widening as he seemed to realize what they had asked Zeref to do. "Perhaps now you can understand why some secrets are best left alone as well. Sometimes, there are dark things in this world that we simply can't bring ourselves to destroy. Sometimes…the world is better with them in it, despite the sorrow they bring, for they make the joy and the light all the greater in contrast."

"You…you're not talking about Natsu anymore."

Shaking his head, Zeref smiled faintly. "No…I suppose I'm not." Yet, it didn't sound like how he'd usually speak of himself either. Had he really changed so much in these last few days? So much and happened, and he had hardly had a moment to rest. "I…I'm not certain who I'm speaking of, I suppose. Perhaps myself…or perhaps you. Regardless, we've both taken dark paths in life, have we not?" Jellal nodded, while Zeref smiled faintly to himself. "Yet…there are people out there, who still fight for both of us to exist in some form. Somehow, in some way…our darkness has made this world better, and while I will likely despise myself again for it soon enough…in this moment, I am almost glad…to have been the person I was, for it helped me become who I am now."

"Maybe I was wrong…before." Jellal spoke softly, standing by his side. "You aren't the person I expected you to be, Zeref. If you ever wish to find a different path towards redemption…Crime Sorciere would be happy to have your assistance." He paused again, while Zeref nodded, lost in thought about this odd moment of an oddly brighter self-image. "Etherion." Zeref frowned, finding the comment rather random. "Your original request…that's how I gave the tower enough energy to activate. The infiltration to the Magic Council was key to timing out when to have it strike…but the Etherion Blast contained enough magic energy to convert the tower into a lacrima, its active form that was simply waiting for a sacrifice to finish the spell. Natsu…Natsu stopped me. For that, I owe him more than he likely knows…and I suppose you, for somehow doing the impossible and allowing him to exist when he normally would not."

He likely would not meet this man again, but Zeref found himself feeling oddly able to connect with him, just like he had with Loke. Were there really so many others with similar mindsets as him? Loke matched his immortality…and this man matched his own dark past and desire for redemption. Perhaps there were others out there, more companions he could find. For now, he had to bring back one that he had lost…and then focus on the future he was building with Levy by his side.

So, this is another case in which I combined two chapters into one due to length issues. I keep realizing I've written a few short chapters within this draft, especially when compared to what is now going to be its final length. Either way, I do hope you enjoyed. I don't know why, but I always enjoy writing interactions between Zeref and Jellal for some reason. The two are both interesting, and seeing the dynamic between them evolve in a story is interesting to me, and almost makes me want to make a story focusing on just that some day. Either way, feel free to review and tell me what you think!